1871 ] 209 
when I say that, excepting in the mysterious Sargasso-sea, in the course of the 
oceanic currents, and in the vicinity of land, sea-weed may be looked for with as 
much chance of finding it as daisies. I should here state that the brilliant white 
appearance of the insect on the ocean is caused by the pellicle of air that surrounds 
it, the creature itself being blackish. If these notes should be read by any one 
of those “who go down to the sea in ships,” I would remind him that, if he can 
throw any light upon the life-history of this most wonderful insect (how many species 
there may be I know not), he will confer the utmost benefit upon natural science. 
The Trichodesmium alluded to by Giglioli is a minute confervoid plant, which some- 
times covers the surface of the ocean like fine saw-dust.—R. McLacuian, Lewisham, 
November, 1870. 
Occurrence in Britain of Neuroterus ostreus, Hartig.— 
Cynips ostria, Hartig, Germ. Z. f. Ent., ii, 207 (1840); Kirschner, Lotos, v, 
204 (1855) ; errore typ. “ astria.” 
Neuroterus ostreus, Giraud, V. d. Zool-bot. V. z. Wien, ix, 350 (1859) ; Schenck, 
Beitraege, 68, 72, 105 (1865); Kaltenbach, Die Deutsch. 
Phytophagen, 66 (1867); v. Schlechtendal, Stettin. Ent. Z., 
Vol. xxxi, 386 (1870). 
In introducing the present species into the British Catalogue, I recapitulate 
that the Rey. T. A. Marshall has described four others in Vol. iv of this Magazine 
(pp. 124—126, and 147), namely, N. Malpighii, fumipennis, Réawmurii,* and politus. 
Instead of attempting to redescribe N. ostreus from German and British types, 
bred by myself, I give Dr. Giraud’s description in extenso, as in my opinion it is 
| quite sufficient to identify even captured specimens. 
“ Niger, nitidus, vix pubescens, ore, squamulis pedibusque rufo-testaceis ; comarum 
basi nigrescente ; thoracis dorso subtilissime punctulato. Ant. 15 artic. 
2. Long. 2 mill. 
“Le sommet de la téte et le dos du thorax sont luisants, mais néanmoins on y 
distingue un pointillé tres fin et peu serré ; ce dernier est de plus marqué de quatre 
‘sillons trés superficiels et peu distincts. Les antennes sont entitrement noirs, 
: minces, et de la longueur du corps. Les pattes sont d’un testacé rougeitre, avec 
la base ou la plus grande partie des hanches noirdtre. Les nervures des ailes sont 
minces et brunes.” 
As will be seen by the foregoing characters, the insect belongs to Mr. Marshall’s 
Section I. Sutures of the mesonotum not invisible.” 
Like the other three British species (so far as ascertained) resembling it in 
the sculpture of the mesonotum, viz., N. Malpighii, fumipennis, and Réawmurit, it 
is a true gall maker. I have met with its gall in this neighbourhood for successive 
seasons on the under-side of the mid-rib of leaves of Quercus pedunculata and sessili- 
flora, and in a few cases on well developed side ribs. The females, appearing in 
June from hybernated galls, oviposit in the mid-rib, where a brownish spot marks 
* Neuroterus Réaumurii is the insect which has been called Newrobius in a letter written by my 
late friend Mr Wm, Armistead (Newman’s “ Entomologist,” iv, p. 28). Having at the time supplied 
‘this gentleman with the correct generic name, I feel bound to over-rule this slip of his pen, as it has 
crept into the ‘‘ Zoological Record ” for 1868, p. 8304, which might lead some continental Entomophilus 
to think that apparently nobody in England cares a ‘‘button’’ for the name of a Cynips, the silky 
gall of which is of gastronomic interest as part of the food ot the dainty pheasant.—A, M. 
