42 Observations on Cynipidae. 



Experimental breeding. The flies emerge very 

 early, some even by the end of March. On March 

 30, 1878, I made the following observations. Five 

 pricked buds were carefully marked by threads tied 

 round them. When pricking the flies behaved in 

 a similar way to the species of Aphilotrix previously 

 described. The ovipositor was again directed under 

 the bud-scales and pushed on towards the base of the 

 bud, so as to place the eggs not in the germs of the 

 leaves but below them, and tolerably accurately in 

 the centre of the bud-axis. Only one ^^^ was laid in 

 each bud, and each separate act required about twenty 

 minutes. I naturally expected from this that out of 

 each pricked bud only one gall would develop. The 

 five pricked buds began to shoot in May ; one, however, 

 lagged in growth, and showed obvious signs of 

 thickening. It soon became apparent that this was 

 due to gall formation, and it afterwards developed the 

 gall described as Andricus inflator. I only obtained 

 one gall from this experiment. In the following year 

 I repeated the attempt. On March 25, 1879, several 

 flies were put upon a little oak and among them they 

 pricked nine buds. In May I obtained two galls of 

 Andricus inflator. 



[The globular gall is found in September on Quercus sessiliflora and 

 Q. pubescens. 



Inquilines. Neuroterus parasiticus, Synergus ruficomis in July of 

 second year, S. nervosus and 5. vulgaris. 



Parasites. Torynius regius ; Siphonura chalybea ; Megastigmus 

 dorsalis, Eurytonia rosae, Eupelmus azureus (probably hyper-para- 

 sitic).] 



