268 



These remarks refer more especially to the above-named species, but 

 apply more or less to all others. I have not myself observed the 

 earlier stages, but Schrader states (I.e.) that the male impregnates, 

 the female through the narrow opening, and that she finally 

 becomes a mere mass of eggs enclosed by the bare skin ; that the 

 young larvfe (I.e., i., figs, h, b) are microscopic, very active, flat,, 

 oval, margin fimbriated, with rather long, curious antenme, and 

 two very long terminal filaments. 



Some species of Brachyscelis (perhaps all) are very prone to be 

 affected by parasites, and not only the insects themselves, but the 

 galls formed by them. The latter thus become very much dis- 

 torted, and their form greatly modified. Examples are shewn on 

 plate iii., fig. \g, and plate iv., fig. \g, fig. 2/'. This action is so 

 predominant in some instances that the host becomes stifled, the 

 inner cavity wholly obsolete, and the shape so irregular as to be 

 past recognition if seen by itself. Several species of Hymen- 

 optera (inclusive of Chalcids), Coleoptera ( Scyinnus, Haj^lonyx, 

 etc.), and a moth in chrysalis stage have been bred from some of 

 the Mallee species. This prevalence of parasitism is no doubt 

 the cause of the com23arative rarity of most of them (except 

 locally), notwithstanding the extraordinary protection of the 

 prolific female. 



Regarding duration of life of gall or insect nothing definite 

 seems to be known. According to my own observations, the 

 attainment to full size of the larger woody galls may require 

 several years, the life of the female probably depending upon the 

 access of males either earlier or later. Fecundation resulting, 

 as is well known, in accelerated development and early death, 

 and vice versa, among the Articnlata. 



In respect of distribution of BraG]iyscelit> in South Australia, 

 it may be remarked, that although I am familiar with them for 

 nearly a lifetime, they were not found abundantly, except in 

 isolated instances. The Mallee Eucalypts (E. gracilis, chimosa, 

 nncinata, oleosa, and incrassata) furnish most of our species, 

 while Eucalyj)tus leucoxylon harbours two, and E. rostrata three 

 (one not yet described and figured) kinds. The Brachyscelid 

 gall on Beyeria opaca (pi. v., fig. .3) is the first instance of such 

 outside of Eucalyj^tus, hitherto the exclusive host, but it may 

 prove to belong to another genus, when the gall-forming insect 

 becomes known. 



Classification of the Family. 



Schrader divided the BRACHYSCELiDiE into three genera. As 

 his paper is long out of print, the following extract will perhaps 

 be very acceptable to students of the family. He says on imge 

 6 : — " I propose to divide the gall-making Coccida? as follows : — 



