l893-] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 155 



such species as lay their eggs in the buds. As these insects are 

 generally winged, their localization does not depend upon their 

 inability to reach other trees. 



The Cynipidous galls are by no means confined to the genus 

 Oiierais, as a considerable number of species are found on plants 

 belonging to the order Rosacae — the blackberry, raspberry, wild 

 roses and the genus Potentilla. The order Compositae, and 

 some others, also, furnishing gall-producing plants. 



There are a vast number of galls on various kinds of trees and 

 plants that are not produced by hymenopterous insects. These 

 mostly belong to the order Diptera, and the family Cecidomyae. 

 In the perfect state they have two wings, and the larvae are easily 

 distinguished from the Cynipidae. I mention this fact lest it be 

 thought by the beginner in the study that these have been over- 

 looked. Many kinds belonging to this class are sent me every 

 year, and the senders are probably disappointed when I inform 

 them that all the time I could devote to the study of galls for 

 almost thirty years, not much it is true, has not enabled me to 

 do more than begin the study of the hymenopterous galls, and 

 that I have not even attempted to study those of other orders, 

 which are no doubt equally interesting and equally difficult. 



Baron Osten Sacken, in his first article, "On the Cynipidae of 

 the North American Oaks and their Galls," published in the 

 first volume of the " Proc. of theEnt. Soc. of Phila. , Oct., 1861,"^ 

 writes as follows on the study of the gall-flies: "The difficulties 

 attending the study of the habits of the Cynipidae are so great, 

 the peculiarity and, I may say, the intricacy of their habits is so 

 extraordinary, that the most important questions concerning them 

 remain unsolved. The chief reason of the difficulty of this study 

 is the close and persistent observation of nature it requires. Here, 

 it is not sufficient to collect at random, in order to work out at 

 leisure the material thus obtained; here one has to watch the 

 growth of the gall on the tree for weeks and months; in order to 

 be enabled to make certain observations one is bound to a certain 

 season of the year and a certain locality, and if the season is 

 missed or the locality cannot be reached at the requisite time, 

 one has to wait a year before observations can be renewed." All 

 this, and more, is true; still, the history of these little insects so 

 far as yet known is so marvellous, that no difficulties, however 

 great, can deter one who has begun the study of their habits. 



