248 THE SPICULIFERA. 



the montli of Marcli^ when each spangle gives birth 

 to a minute gall-fly, long since described by Fabricius 

 under the name of Cynips longipennis. In the au- 

 tumn and winter the larva may be found in the 

 interior of the gall. 



Of the British galls, perhaps none are more curious 

 than that found commonly upon the Wild E^ose, and 

 known as the Bedegiiar. It is produced by the. Cy- 

 nips Ros(S, a small black species, with the basal portion 

 of the abdomen and the legs reddish, which punctures 

 the extremity of a growing branch of the rose-tree 

 and deposits a considerable number of eggs in the 

 same spot. The gall produced by these numerous 

 punctures is usually of considerable size and of very 

 remarkable appearance. Its internal texture is woody, 

 but its outer surface is covered with numerous hairs 

 or tapering fibres, each of which is in turn furnished 

 with several smaller filaments, so that the entire gall 

 looks as if covered with moss. The interior contains 

 numerous cells, each of w^hich serves as the habitation 

 of a single larva. Notwithstanding the hard sub- 

 stance of which the body of this gall is composed, its 

 little inhabitants are not completely protected from 

 the assaults of insect enemies ; various Ichneumons, 

 especially a small long-tailed species, the Callimome 

 Bedeguaris, contrive to introduce their eggs into 

 the concealed larvae of the Gall-fly, and by this 

 means very often the whole of the rightful inhabitants 

 of a Bedeguar gall are destroyed. 



The parasitic insects of the preceding tribe have 

 frequently been denominated Cuckoo-flies, but I must 

 agree with Mr. Westwood in thinking that this name 



