NEUEOTEEUS L.EVIUSCULUS. 



119 



Colours. — Pale yellow, yellowish-green, g-reen, pink, red. 



Average dimensions of a mature specimen. — Height, 

 1 mill. ; length, -i mm. ; l>readth, 3 mm. 



May be sought during the months of July to September. 



Growth is complete l)y the end of August. 



The typical condition of the gall is unilocular and unilarval. 



The larva pupates in the gall. The imago emerges during the 

 spring. 



Parasites, ^os. 165, 182. Inquiline, No. 142. 



Alternate sexual generation : Spathegaster alhipes, Schenck. 



This gall appears to have been first noticed in 

 Britain by Miss E. A. Ormerocl, LL.D., who fonnd 

 specimens on oak trees in Kew Gardens in 1870. 



%^:^L 



Fig. 14. — Galls caused by Neuroterus Ixviusculus. a. On upijer sur- 

 face of leaf. B. 1-6, variations in outlines, c. 1-3, bowl shape, on 

 iinder-snrface of leaf. d. 1-4, diagrammatic sections. All x 2. 

 dele, ad nat. E.G. 



In ])oth shape and colour this gall is subject to 

 greater variations than those of its congeners. 



The gall may resemble a beantiful miniature cream- 

 coloured waxen cup, with a tiny cone, standing up like 

 a spike, from the base of the concavity. It may be a 

 delicate shade of yellowish-green, and shaped like an 

 elegantly formed saucer, the centre having a minute 

 papilla. Yet another form, is that of a tiny plate, 

 rose-red or purple in colour, with hardly a trace of a 

 central elevation. Many cupulate examples are pale 

 in colour, except the rim which may show quite a con- 

 trast in a bright red, or a reddish-brown. 



The outline of the gall is mostly rather longer than 

 broad, or even half as long again as broad. Many 

 specimens are circular. 



The margin may be entire, or incised to nearly half 



