146 THE ENTOMOLOGIS'Y. 
The galls were only found on the lower leaves of the buttercup 
(R. repens). Of the three palmate segments into which these 
leaves are divided, the two outer ones were invariably rolled 
inwards from the base, and thus formed a thickened and har- 
dened pseudo-gall at the base of the leaf (see figure) ; the middle 
segment of the leaf was rarely galled. The galled segments 
were in no way discoloured; Bremi’s galls were reddish brown. 
There were several larve of the Cecidomyia in each roll; with me 
the numbers varied from two to ten; these were pale ochreous, 
or cream-colour; certainly not orange-yellow, as says Bremi. 
The metamorphosis took place within the gall, and I bred many 
imagos at the end of August. 
Cecidomyia ranunculi is described in the ‘ Neue Denkschriften 
der allg. Schweiz. Gesellschaft,’ vol. ix., p. 29 (1847). The galls 
from which the imagos were bred occurred on Ranunculus bulbosus, 
near Zurich, in July; but Bremi also found somewhat similar 
galls, at the same time and place, on the leaves of Trifolium 
pratense; he did not breed the gall-makers, but describes the 
gall as a variety of Cecidomyia ranunculi. 
Maldon, Essex, December, 1879. 
BRITISH GALL-GNATS. 
By Epwarp A. Frrcu. 
Havine recently called attention to one Dipterous family, in 
which gall-makers are common, and said a few words on our 
little knowledge of the British species (Entom. xu. 257), I am 
led to think that a few remarks on our gall-gnats may be 
acceptable and instructive. 
In speaking of the Trypetide, I have already stated that 
while the imagos are amongst the most beautifully marked and 
brightly coloured of the Diptera,-the galls which they inhabit are 
especially liable to be overlooked. With the Cecidomyide the con- 
verse of this holds generally, for many of the plant deformities 
they occasion are amongst the best known of all galls, while the 
gall-gnats themselves are very small and obscure; though when 
examined alive, and under a lens, the often bright red colour and 
beautiful antenne, especially of the males, make them objects of 
great beauty and interest. Their preservation for a collection is, 
