494 



HOMES WITHOUT HANDS. 



following year, and that they pass through their stages of the 

 pupal and perfect forms after the leaves have fallen, and while 

 they are still lying on the ground. 



Mr. F. Smith, who has given so much time and research to the 

 history of the hymenoptera, has discovered the insect that in- 

 habited the galls to be Gynips longipennis, and has remarked that 

 the perfect insects do not make their appearance until the month 

 of March. 



We now pass from the British galls to those which are found 

 in various other countries. A few of the more interesting 

 examples are figured in the accompanying illustration. 



FOREION GALLS. 



Ink Galls. ■ 

 Hungarian Gall. 



Dead Sea Apple. 



Galls ol Cjnips poljcerc. 



Should the reader have the curiosity to examine for himself 

 the structure of the British galls (as I trust he will do) he will 

 find that when he cuts a juicy specimen, such as that of the 

 leaf-gaU, his fingers will presently be stained with purple-black. 

 He may wash his hands as much as he likes, but he will not 

 wash away the stain, which soon looks as if it had been produced 

 by spilling ink on the hands. There is reason for such an ap- 



