6.4 Observations 07i Cynipidae. 



tion the females begin to lay their eggs. In May, 1878, 

 I experimented with the oak, on which the Spathegaster 

 Taschenbergi galls had been formed. The first flies 

 appeared on May 26. Before a fly begins to prick, it 

 may be seen busily engaged in feeling the veins of the 

 leaf with its antennae, and having done so it pierces 

 them, so that the eggs lie in the veins of the leaf. It 

 is essential if the experiments are to succeed that the 

 leaves should be very soft and tender, for full grown 

 leaves do not seem to suit the fly. Only five leaves 

 were pricked in my experiments because some were 

 already too far developed. 



In the beginning of July I noticed the commence- 

 ment of gall formation as a small round gall growing 

 from the midrib of a leaf. Others soon followed, and 

 I obtained in all eight galls which proved to be those of 

 Dryophanta scutellaris. 



The connexion of Dryophanta scutetlaris with Spathe- 

 gaster Taschenbergi was thus proved. The statement 

 made in my first communication that Trigonaspis crus- 

 talis was the sexual generation belonging to Dryophanta 

 scutellaris was due to a mistake, which arose from my 

 having made my experiments in the open air where 

 I was not sufficiently able to control them. 



[The purple velvet bud gall is found in April on the dormant buds 

 of Quercus sessiliflora.'] 



15. Dryophanta longiventris. Htg.^ 



Gall. This gall like the former one grows from the 

 midrib on the under side of the oak leaves, but is smaller, 



[^ Cynips longiventris, Htg.J 



