of new Fig-Insects. 17 



as adverted to by Professor Westwood in his memoir on 

 " Caprification," &c. (I. c., vol. ii., p. 223), the "antennae 

 are terminated by three very large and distinct joints." 



(3). The wing- veins also differ inter se in the germ- 

 feeders, nor does Callimome coincide with Eupristina in 

 this respect (PL I., fig. 4) ; while, irrespective of their 

 phytophagous habits, these germ-feeders, in common 

 with their aforesaid representatives, are separated from 

 Callimome by other alary incongruities, such as the in- 

 variable absence of wings in the males. 



(4). Furthermore, the long straight ovipositor is not a 

 distinguishing characteristic of these phytivorous broods, 

 this organ being remarkably short in Blastophaga, as 

 well as in the Madagascar species (PI. III., fig. 46) ; and 

 in all matured examples it maintains the arcuate con- 

 dition imparted by its original position within the seed- 

 vessel as aforesaid, whether long or short. That this 

 organ should be exserted is doubtless essential to the 

 requirements of the race in their mode of oviposition, 

 having, moreover, in some instances, if not in all, to 

 penetrate within the young figs for this purpose, as 

 testified of Sycophaga in our ' Transactions ' (1878, 

 p. 317), for which purpose a more bulky abdomen, like 

 that of an ordinary Cynips, would be ill-adapted, 

 although Latreille surmises that the ova of Blastophaga 

 {Cynips Psenes, Linn.) are deposited in the pollen at an 

 earlier stage (Cuv., Anim. Kingd., Genus Cynips).* Such 

 modified appliances, however, are constantly witnessed, 

 and constitute connecting links between allied races, 

 which may be no less recognised in this instance. Thus, 

 in his incomparable standard work, the ' Modern Classi- 

 fication of Insects ' (vol. ii., p. 117), Professor Westwood 

 explains " that the borer of the Urocerus is but the saw 

 of the Tenthredo, modified to fit it for its functions," the 

 analogy between their structural details and the re- 

 spective advantages derivable therefrom being also fully 

 discussed. The same remarks apply equally to this im- 

 plement in Xiphydria (ibid, p. 121). In Oryssus its 



* Count Solms-Laubach, by his recent researches at Naples, has 

 ascertained that the female Blastophagce, like those of Sycophaga, 

 penetrate into the wild figs for the purpose of depositing their 

 eggs. He frequently found a mass of their wings adhering thereto 

 where many had effected their entrance together, and they sub- 

 sequently die within. (" Die Herkunft, Domestication, und Ver- 

 breitung des gewohnlichen Feigenbaum ; Von H. Graf zu Solms- 

 Laubach." Gottingen, 1882). 



TRANS. ENT. SOC, 1883, PART I, (MARCH.) C 



