306 Prof. R. Newstead and Mr. B. F. Cummings ou 



XXXIV. — On a Remarkahh Gall- producing Psyllid from 

 Syria. By Professor R. Newstead, F.R.S., and Bruce 

 F. Cummings. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 



[Plate VII.] 



A CORRESPONDENT, Mr. S. Wiglitman, recently forwarded to 

 the Botanical Department of the British Museum a " pod " 

 •which had been gathered in the autumn of 1911 at Brumana, 

 a summer resort in the Lebanon, about eight miles from 

 Beyrout and about 2500 feet above sea-level. On exami- 

 nation this proved to be a large pod-shaped insect-gall, 

 hollow inside and containing an immense quantity of im- 

 mature "mealy" Psyllids. Unfortunately, efforts to obtain 

 adults and more specimens of this remarka])le gall have so 

 far proved unavailing, so it was thought desirable to publish 

 at once a short account of both the gall and the insects, 

 which were the larvse and pupae of a species belonging 

 probably to the subfamily Triozinje, F. Loew. The gall 

 appears to have excited ciiriosity on account of the living 

 Psyllids discovered in its interior and because it seems, from 

 inquiries made, to be a far from common object in the 

 district in w^iich it was found. The name of the tree on 

 which it grew was not forthcoming, but from the piece of twig 

 accompanying it Dr. A. B. Rendle, F.R.S., was able to say 

 that in all probability the tree was the Tamarind [Tamarindus 

 i7idica, L.). 



The Gall (PI. VII.). — It is attached laterally to a slender 

 twig. From the spiral arrangement of the buds the gall is 

 presumably axial and not a bud-gall. The twig measures 

 only 3 millimetres in width and the gall at the base 

 measures 5 millimetres, increasing to 2Q millimetres. 

 Total length 180 millimetres, broad cylindrical, but pointed 

 at the tip. Texture (dry) is hard, rugose, brittle, only 

 2 millimetres thick. 



Larva (taken from gall). — Form doubtful, but apparently 

 somewhat elongated. Antennae (fig. A, p. 307) stout ; of five 

 segments, of wiiich the third and sixth are the longest and 

 about equal in lengtph ; fourth and fifth each with a single 

 circular gland (sensorium) beset with a fringe of fine short 

 hairs. Mentum (tig. B) trimerous, relatively stout and 

 about two-thirds the length of the antennae ; terminal segment 

 with a few fine hairs. Legs stout and relatively long ; 

 tarsus (fig. C) shorter than tibia ; claws long and slender. 



