24 Observations on Cynipidae. 



are becoming less tightly imbricated. It is thus com- 

 paratively easy for it to insert its terebra into the bud. 

 I made my first experiments in May, 1875, and I re- 

 peated them in May, 1876. They are very active little 

 flies, and in this respect differ from the former 

 species ; they are continually running from side to 

 side and flying from one shoot to another. When the 

 buds begin to loosen, they are able without much effort 

 to insert their terebra and deposit their ^^^. It often 

 happens that several eggs are deposited on the same 

 leaf, while later we find from three to five galls grow- 

 ing there, and the leaf distorted and puckered. The 

 gall produced by this species is that of Spathegaster 

 tricolor. 



[The cupped spangle gall is found in August on Qiiercus pedun- 

 culata and Q. sessiliflora ; occasionally on the upper surface of the leaf 

 Inquiline. Synergus Tscheki in March of second year. 

 Parasite. Torymus sodalts.'] 



4^. Spathegaster tricolor. Htg.^ 

 Gall. Soft and sappy; of a pure white or slightly 

 greenish yellow colour ; round, somewhat flattened at 

 the summit, covered with simple upright white hairs, 

 which usually fall off when the gall is mature, and it is 

 then liable to be confused with Spathegaster baccarum. 

 (Fig. 4".) 



The gall does not mature until July, and the fly 

 emerges from the beginning to the middle of July. 



Fly. Size, 2 mm. ; black ; thorax slightly shining, 

 somewhat punctate; legs reddish yellow; abdomen 

 dark brown, reddish yellow at the base ; wings cloudy, 



\^ Netirotei'us tricolor, Mayr.] 



