NO. 22.] HYMENOPTERA OF CONNECTICUT. 381 



hairs on its sides anteriorly, the segments distinct and gradually- 

 shorter beyond the second anal segment, with a tuft of long hairs ; 

 wings rudimentary and not much more than I mm. long. 



The galls of this species are about 7 mm. in diameter, orbicu- 

 lar, and slightly uneven or pimply, each pimple crested with a 

 tuft of hair-like filaments, pale ash-gray in color but brown or 

 black when weathered ; the larval cell is central and is kept in 

 place by a spongy mass that is loosely fibrous on the inner surface 

 of the gall ; the cell itself is oval and measures nearly 4 by 4.5 

 mm. ; the shell is very thin and hard ; the galls are found as a 

 rule upon the leaves of the white oak {Quercus alba), on the 

 tops of tall old trees. They are said to be rarely abundant but to 

 occur occasionally in great numbers on an isolated tree or in a 

 small grove of oaks. 



This species may be confused with P. niger Gillette, from 

 which it may, however, be determined by comparison with the 

 above description. 



P. fulvicollis Fitch. 



Length : 3 to 4 mm. ; mostly black, with the thorax tawny 

 yellow, spotted anteriorly with black, the scutel brighter yellow, 

 and the legs dusky or blackish, with the knees and hips of a paler 

 dull yellowish color ; antennae practically entirely black. 



This species appears on the first snows that fall in the latter 

 part of November and the beginning of December. 



P. nigricollis Fitch. 



Length 3 mm. ; mostly black, with the basal third of the an- 

 tennae and the legs obscure brownish yellow, scutel dull yellow, 

 the inner sides of the femora slightly dusky. 

 P. (Zopheroteras) vaccinii Ashmead. 

 Length 2 mm. (female); head and thorax dull brown; 

 abdomen black, shining, or mostly black and distinctly brownish 

 at base; antennae 14-jointed, beyond the eighth joint infuscated ; 

 parapsidal grooves very indistinct, scutel terminating above in an 

 elevated horn-like process ; all tibiae dark brown along the outer 

 edges ; wings entirely wanting, not even wing scales being present. 

 Bred from clusters of small, somewhat bell-shaped, petiolate, 

 greenish galls on the under sides of leaves, along the midrib. 

 The shape of these galls is suggestive of the flowers of Vaccinium, 



