26 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 
readers an opportunity of comparing with the variety. It will 
be observed that the oblique cream-coloured stripes which 
adorn the normal insect are in this aberration partially or 
altogether wanting. In the normal insect six such stripes are 
present, five of these reaching the costa, and the sixth being 
situated at the base of the wing, immediately in contact with 
the body. I will try to make my meaning intelligible. 
To begin with calling the basal stripe No. i it will be 
observed that it is slender and pointed, and intermediate 
between the costal and inner margins; in some examples it is 
continued almost as a thread-like line towards the anal angle. 
No. 2 is on the costa only, is parallel to No. 1, and much 
resembles it, but is rather less. No. 3 is variable: it gene- 
rally extends obliquely from the costa to the anal angle; at 
the costa it is broad, but gradually diminishes to a point before 
reaching the angle; in the variety it generally ceases almost 
immediately below the costa, but reappears as a slender line 
near thé anal angle. No. 4 is costal only, and smaller; a 
mere spot, almost square. No. 5, in the normal insect, 
extends from the costa obliquely downwards, until it meets 
No. 6, also oblique, but tending in another direction; they 
unite in forming a letter V; in the variety this ceases imme- 
diately below the costa: the hind wings present but small 
difference in the distribution of their markings; their colour 
is scarlet, with black spots. 
After taking all this trouble in trying to describe the 
differences that exist between the normal insect and the 
aberration, I feel that I have not expressed those differences 
nearly so well as Mr. Willis has done in the drawing, which 
Mr. Kirchner has engraved with such consummate skill. 
EpwaRD NEWMAN. 
Descriptions of Oak-galls. Translated from Dr. G. L. Mayr’s 
‘Die Mitteleuropadischen Eichengallen’ by E. A. Fircn, Esq. 
(Continued from vol. viii. p. 291.) 
36. Synophus politus, Hart.—This more or less spherical 
gall grows out of the axillar and terminal buds of the Turkey 
oak, and varies much in shape. 1 shall first of all describe 
the one that is commonest and most regularly developed. 
ee 
