1868.] 275 



Aulax glecliomcd [read glecliomatis], Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 3, 

 342 ; 4, 412. 



The largest species, distinguished by the thick, globose abdomen, 



and slightly shining mesothorax, the coriaceous appearance of which is 



due to very minute punctures, with glabrous interstices. It forms 



galls from one to three-fourths of an inch in diameter, beset with 



whitish hairs, in the axilla? of the leaves of Qlechoma Tiederaceiom, L., 



the common ground-ivy. These galls are well figured by Eeaum., Ins., 



iii., pi. 42, f. 1 — 5 ; and Malpighi, Opera omnia, pi. 9, f, 24. The Lin- 



nean description of Cynips glecliomce [sic], F. S., 1520 ; Syst. Nat., 2, 



917; and Pab., E. S., 2, 101, " Fusca, thorace villoso," must refer, as 



remarked by Hartig, to a different insect, — probably a Synergus, — as the 



present species has the thorax totally free from villosity. Aulax gle- 



chomntis, Hart., is not uncommon in England. I possess the inner gall 



and the insect, through the kindness of Mr. P, Inchbald. 



iii. Disc of the mesothorax entirely glabrous and shining. 

 Aulax brevicornis, Curtis ? 

 " $ . Black, shining ; abdomen bright ferruginous ; legs bright 

 ochreous, tips of tarsi fuscous ; mandibles and antennae ferruginous, the 

 latter brownish towards the apex, not much longer than the head and 

 thorax, 13-jointed (?), terminal joint longest. H lines. Dover." 

 Curtis, B. E., 688, 19 (Cynips brevicornis). 



The apex of the abdomen is more or less dark above. The antennsD 

 are sometimes much darker than " ferruginous," and vary in having 

 13 — 14 joints. The mesothoracic sutures are abbreviated in front. 

 Mesothorax very black and shining. Radial cell more or less imperfect ; 

 in one specimen completely obliterated on the right side only. 



? . Long. 1 — If ; alar. exp. 2i lin. 



? Cynips brevicornis, Curt., I. c. 



? Cynips polentillcB, Villers. 



? Aylax splendens, Hart., in Germ. Zeits., 2, 196. 



Hartig gives the antennae as 15- (i. e. 14-) jointed. Notwith- 

 standing the apparent disagreement of his and Curtis's diagnoses, I 

 cannot but think the insects identical. Eive German specimens in 

 Mr. Walker's collection are ticketed A. splendens, in the handwriting 

 of Eorster, but the determination must be incorrect, as they have not 

 the " Mittelbrustriicken vollkommen glatt und glanzend." I consider 

 them to be A. sabaudi, Hart. 



Of unknown habits, but taken occasionally amongst oak trees. 

 (To be continued in Vol. V.) 



