448 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



their appearance, and this year it is ray intention to devote 

 more time to sugaring, in order that I may see what Noctuae 

 actually occur here. In addition to those mentioned 

 already, which were also common this month, T obtained 

 P. Chrysitis and Gamma, and H. rectilinea at rest ; I met 

 with L. lobiilata rather commonly ; besides a host of pretty 

 Geometrae that I did not know. In June the following 

 English species made their appearance: — C. Pamphilus, 

 C. Hyale, P. Napi, A. Atropos, H. Thyraiaria, d. tenebrosa, 

 E. nigra. A profusion of foreign gentlemen also. There is 

 a pretty species, evidently a Brephos, that one meets with 

 commonly, flitting about the trees in the same manner as 

 Parthenias at home. A beautiful Bombyx, too, emerges this 

 month, the male of which is a beautiful emerald-green and 

 devoid of markings, whilst the female is a bright yellow, with 

 a fulvous blotch on the centre of the fore wings ; the hind 

 wings are in shape like those of Quercifolia : thus, when at 

 rest, they resemble either a green or yellow leaf. I have bred 

 it repeatedly from eggs: the larvae have the exact character- 

 istics of Orgyia ; but the imago differs, inasmuch as the 

 females are not apterous, neither are they day-flying 

 Bombyces. 



William Watkins. 



Convalescent Depot, Wellington, Madras. 



On the Habits of certain Gall-insects of the Genus Cynips. 

 By H. F. Bassett. 



[When I first broached the idea that vegetable-galls were 

 not new or additional parts of the plants whereon they 

 occurred, but old and recognized organs produced under 

 abnormal and diseased conditions, it was considered so 

 diametrically opposed to what ought to be the order of 

 nature, that there was a very general expression of dissent j and 

 Mr. Peter Inchbald, one of our more scientific entomological 

 observers, felt it a duty to express his disapproval, and to 

 show that these things could not be. Subsequently Mr. 

 Parfitt, of Exeter, attempted to answer Mr. Inchbald's 

 objections in the ' Field' newspaper, in whicli they had been 

 published, and his remarks were reprinted in these pages. 

 More recent and continued observations have tended to 



