219 
Mr. J. O. Westwood on Caprification. 
Pontedera has indeed given us a more minute account of the 
insect, which appears from his figures (Ant hoi. Tab. xi), notwith- 
standing its rudeness, to be a minute Hymenopterous insect, and 
also a figure of the infested fruit, with numerous botanical details. 
He states that he had noticed both sexes of his insect, and that the 
females were furnished with an exserted ovipositor ; his figures 
however do not represent this appendage, and are probably those 
of the males. He found “larvas horum cynipum singulas in sin- 
gulis germinibus ficus caprificae ; ” and adds, “ se haec insecta 
cpiidem in caprificae grossis nunquam autem in pomis ficus satirae, 
nec in erinosyces serotinis, in quibus stamina et apices non repe- 
riuntur, invenisse.” 
Hasselquist, in his Resa til heliga Landct (Stockh. 1 757, p. 
424, et seq.), describes three Hymenopterous insects, under the 
names of Cynips Ficus, C. Caricce, and C. Cycomori. 
The habits of the first of these insects, Cynips Ficus, are de- 
scribed thus: “ Ficus faeminas inhabitat, quorum germina excavata 
ab illo repiri et in quovis fere genuine unum reconditum. An 
Cupido Ficus qui farinam genitalem ex caprifico in ficum transfert? 
Gallae locum obtinet heic ficus; germina corrodit insectum quod 
plus damni quam utilitatis fructui adfert. An haec progenita offi- 
cio deinde fungitur mediatorio V* 
The second is described thus : “ In eadem cum altero (C. 
Ficus) Ficu habitat. An praecedens ex altero sexu ? an diversa 
species ?” 
The third, C. Cycomori, is merely described as inhabiting the 
fruit of the Ficus Cycomorus. 
Linnaeus, who was the tutor of Hasselquist, in the subsequent 
edition of the Systcma Natures, united the C. Ficus and C. Caricce 
together, under the name of Cynips Psenes, referring not only to 
Hasselquist’s two species, but also to the figures of Pontedera. 
He also gave the C. Cycomori as distinct, with the observation, 
“Habitat in iEgypti ficus Sycomori grossis. Fuscus, aculeo lon- 
gitudine corporis exserto, sed debili, laxo, ut vix videatur Cynips 
esse. Antennae thorace breviores, subulatae, bctsi crasso, conicce /” 
Dr. Gravenhorst has published a very interesting memoir, in the 
Reitrage zur Entomologie, of the Natural History of Silesia, Part I. 
having for its title “ Disquisitio de Cynipe Psene auctorum, et 
descriptio Blastophagae novi Ilymenopterorum generis.” The 
new genus Blastopliaga described in this memoir is established 
upon a single species, Bl. grossorum, respecting whose habits the 
following observations are made : “ Collega aestumatissimus Dr. 
L. C. Treviranus coloniam mecum communicavit Hymenoptero- 
