276 [December, 



blackthorn, the leaves o£ which were galled by Putoniella mar- 

 supialis — -a midge Dr. J. W. H. Harrison and I had searched for 

 during the past two years withovit success, — and it was whilst gathering 

 a supply of this gall I noticed two somewhat slightly swollen stems of 

 the knapweed, due to the presence of Phanacis centaureae. Ultimately 

 we found several stems so attacked, and one having two galls caused by 

 another and better known Cynipid, Aylax scahiosae — the first record 

 for the Northumberland and Durham area. 



Phanacis centaureae Forster. 



On Centaurea scabiosa, a slight and sometimes scarcely perceptible swelling 

 of the stem, which may occupy a considerable length, with numerous elon- 

 gated larval cavities, measuring 2 to 5 mm. in length by about 1 mm. in 

 breadth. These cavities are situated at the confines of the pith and the skin, 

 partly in each as a rule, and run parallel to the axis of the stem. When the 

 insect is nearly mature an elongated fissure usually appears in the stem. The 

 adult emerges in the second year. 



Hab. : Durham, Ryhope Dene, on the coast, 3 miles south of 

 Sunderland, in plenty, October 20th, 1917. Also from Easington. 



Previously known from Central Europe, Denmark, and France. 



When bringing forward A. rogenlioferi, I drew attention to both 

 A. jaceae and Phanacis ce )it a ureae y vay iriexiii Harrison has recently 

 taken the former species, so that both now are firmly established as 

 British. This makes the fifth interesting addition to the British fauna 

 of gall-w^asps {Ci/nipidae) other than those attacking oaks from our 

 northern counties ; the five species are Aulacidea pilosellae, Aylax 

 taraxaci, A.'rogenlioferi, A.jaceae, and Phanacis centaureae. 



Penshaw Lodge, 



Penshaw. 

 Oct. 20th, 1917. 



The "Vasculum." — The Editors have sent us Nos. 2 and 3, .luue and 

 September, 1917, of this useful little illustrated quarterly journal, which deals 

 chiefly with the Natural History of the North of P]ngland, a special fcjature 

 being simple accounts of all kinds of obscure or neglected " groups," such as 

 tlie Apterygota, Sijniphyla, rauropoda, etc. Each of these numbers contains a 

 paper by Mr. Bagnall on primitive-tails, bristle-tails, and spring-tails, that in 

 No. 3 being devoted to the Protura. Whether it is the proper medium in 

 ■which to publisli a description of a new genus and species of Aleyrodidae, 

 Tetralicia ericae Harrison, No. 3, pp. 60-62, is perhaps questionable, owing to 

 the possibility of sucli a paper being ovei'looked by Continental or American 

 students. — Eds. 



