THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 167 



insects within the last few days. They seem to frequent 

 elm-edges with plenty of grass and undergrowth. 



[I have not collected for many years, but formerly I used 

 to meet with Villica commonly, but never abundantly ; and 

 the larva much more frequently than the imago. — Edward 

 New man. '\ 



F. G. Phillips. — Singular Gall. — I discovered to-day some 

 oak-galls, the outer crust of which appears to have been eaten 

 off by some insect. Never having myself noticed a similar 

 appearance, and thinking it might interest you, who would 

 doubtless be able to explain the cause of the irregularity, I 

 beg leave to enclose you a specimen. 



[I have opened the specimen sent, and find it composed 

 of silky fibres ; the interior was occupied by a large cell, 

 in which a large, smooth, green caterpillar was reposing, 

 and appeared about changing to a chrysalis, its markings 

 being very obscure, as is frequently the case before changing. 

 The gall, popularly known as "King Charles'" or the " oak- 

 apple," has much the same appearance ; the substance has a 

 similar woolly character to that of the object now received ; 

 but the question arises whether the caterpillar so comfortably 

 installed in the interior had any part in producing the gall. 

 I feel unwilling to pronounce ; the multiplicity of inquilines 

 found in the oak-apple is truly marvellous. I think shortly to 

 publish some account of them, from a list prepared by the 

 late Mr. Walker; and doubtless it may be considerably 

 extended, as the observations of one entomologist are 

 scarcely likely to exhaust so prolific a subject. — Edward 

 Newman.^ 



S. L. Mosley. — To rear Galls. — Would you tell me of some 

 good plan to rear gall-insects ? When I pluck soft galls and 

 keep them in tin-cans they generally come to nothing, but 

 mould and rot away. 



[Will Mr. Fitch kindly reply. — Edward Newman.'] 



S. L. Mosley. — Diptera. — Would any person volunteer to 

 name Dipterous insects? Also, is there such a thing as a 

 complete list of Diptera published? 



[Volunteers are requested to reply. There is a list of 

 British Diptera published by the British Museum. — Edward 

 Newman.] 



Henry Reeks. — Fallen Pears. — I am sorry to have had 

 this matter so long in hand without giving a definite reply. 



