THE GALL FLY. 4S9 



Genus I Cynips. The Gall Fly. 



1 HE mouth in this genus is armed with jaws, but has 

 no probofcis ; the (ling is fpiral, and mod frequendy con- 

 cealed within the body. 



Thofe innumerable and various excrefcences which are 

 feen upon the leaves, branches, and roots of trees, are all 

 the produdions of different kinds of infects. Or thei'e, 

 fome fo nearly refemble the natural productions of the 

 plants, that they are fometimes taken for their fruit or 

 their flov/ers : A particular kind of ivy produces galls 

 that are aftually eaten as fruit by the peafants in fome 

 parts of France ; and in ConJIantinople, there are fome of 

 thefe produftions brought to market for fale *. 



Some of thefe excrefcences have within a fingle large 

 cavity, in which feveral infecls live and alTociate toge- 

 ther ; Others have a number of fmaller cavities, with 

 communications between them ; a third clafs contain a 

 variety of feparate cells, fometimes a hundred, each oc- 

 cupied by a lingle infedl, wliich has no communication 

 with the reft. Thefe prodiiflions are alfo of various 

 Czes, forms, and confiftency ; fome are fpongy, while 

 others are hard like a nut. Of the latter kind, thofe are 

 beft known which are imported from the Levant for the 

 purpofe of dyeing cloths. 



Vol. III. 3 CL AU 



* Reaumur, Tom. III. M-r.i. xH, 



