7802 Insects. 



Economy of Cecidomyia Taxi. — When I was in Surrey, in January last, I noticed 

 that the yews that grow intermingled with junipers on Ridfllesdown, near Croydon, 

 were covered here and there with tinted bosses, which had a very pretty appearance. 

 I gathered several, in the hope that I might be able to find out the insects that had 

 been instrumental in forming these artichoke-like galls. The galls I kept in my 

 botany-case for many weeks, but unfortunately the larva died in its nidus of leaves, 

 and I was thus disappointed. More recently, however, I observed the same bosses on 

 yew trees in Yorkshire, and as May was nearly over I thought it not unlikely I might 

 succeed better at a season vvhen so many of the Cecidomyiae make their entrance 

 into life. I gathered a handful of affected shoots, put them into a cup of water, and 

 covered them over with a bell-glass. This time I was rewarded for my perseverance. 

 The first day of June I had the pleasure of seeing two gall-gnats (male and female), 

 under the glass, and others have since appeared. The gall, as I have said, is in form 

 not unlike a tiny artichoke, in the heart of which a single larva lives through the 

 winter in its nest of closely-fitting leaves, which diminish in size as they approach the 

 centre. The gnat lays her egg in June, in the young and tender green shoots which 

 are just then beginning to grow ; these become crippled, and gradually assume the 

 appearance I have described, offering food and shelter to the yellow-coloured larva 

 during the winter months. In April or May it enters on the pupa stage of its 

 existence, gathering intensity of colour as it approaches maturity, and in June it comes 

 forth in the winged condition, a beautiful orange-coloured fly. For the benefit of 

 those who may be more particularly interested in the Diptera, it may be well to de- 

 scribe more minutely the perfect insect, inasmuch as Professor Loew, though alluding 

 to the artichoke galls at the end of the branches of Taxus baccata, says that the fly is 

 still altogether unknown {noch ganz ungewiss ist), nor does Mr. Walker include the 

 species among the 200 Cecidomyias he describes with such minuteness. I may just 

 remark that the yew gall-gnat presents a tolerable appearance, being nearly equal in 

 size to the well-known C. rosaria. 



Cecidomyia Taxi, InchhalU. 



Male. Antennae apparently shorter than in the female, from the greater crowding 

 of the joints, which are verticillate, pilose. Thorax testaceous, darker laterally, with 

 a spot in front and two dark triangular spots behind. Abdomen orange, with dusky 

 pile, forcipated. Legs darker in the upper half, paler in the lower. 



Female. Antennae testaceous as in the male, eighteen-jointed ; joints petiolaled, 

 less densely pilose. Thorax as in the male. Wings ashy, with dusky pile in both 

 sexes. Transverse veinlet somewhat beyond the middle of the subcostal vein. Abdo- 

 men orange, with paler oviduct. Legs dark, with gray pubescence. — Peter Inchbald ; 

 Slorthes Hall, near Huddersfield, September 2, 1861. 



[I am indebted to my kind correspondent for a series of specimens of this beautiful 

 and interesting gall. — E. iV.] 



Capture of Plinella gracilis in England. — I believe I may announce the occurrence 

 of this very pretty little insect in England. Of the six species of Ptinella figured by: 

 Gillupeister, P. gracilis was the only one which we have hitherto failed to detect in 

 this country. In August last I captured an extremely small-winged Ptinella, 

 answering well to Gillmeister's figure of P. gracilis in size and shape ; and although 

 I have not yet had the opportunity of examining it thoroughly, I feel no doubt as to 

 its identity with the species in question. — A. Matthews ; Gtimlcy, Market IJarborough, 

 October 21, 1861. 



