134 Comparative Classification of Cynipidae. 



difference ; the Aphilotrix ovipositor is always curved, 

 and more or less hooked at the point, because, as has 

 been stated, it is never bored directly into the centre 

 of the bud, like the Andriais ovipositor, but always in 

 a curved manner. 



III. Dryophanta-Spathegaster Group. 



In this group the two forms of ovipositor differ 

 markedly from each other, because the method of 

 piercing is quite dissimilar. Dryophanta bores into 

 the buds, Spathegaster into the veins of the leaf The 

 former is provided with a very strong ovipositor which 

 is only slightly curved, and particularly straight at the 

 point; the latter with a short one, somewhat hooked 

 at the point. Dryophanta behaves differently from 

 those flies, previously described, which pierce buds : it 

 applies its ovipositor perpendicularly to the bud, and 

 bores straight down into it ; the egg thus comes to lie 

 in the centre of the bud-axis, or on one of the 

 rudimentary leaves. Spathegaster only pierces the 

 epidermis of the leaf-veins, and pushes the egg into 

 the opening it has made. 



IV. BioRHizA Group. 



In this group we haveconsidered two species, Biorhiza 

 aptera, and Biorhiza renitm, which can scarcely be united 

 in the same genus. This is very evident when we 

 compare the two sexual generations with each other. 

 Biorhiza aptera resembles the sexual generation Teras 

 ierminalis so closely, that any well marked points of 



