NEUROTERUS APRILINTJS. 139 



Neuroterus Schlechtendali, Mayr, Eichengallen, 62; Schlech- 



tendal,W.E.Z., 99—106; F.Loew, 

 Yerh. z.-b. Ges. Wien, 1884, 323. t 



Black ; the base of the legs brownish ; the apex of femora broadly, 

 the tibia? and tarsi lemon-yellow ; wings hyaline. Antenna? 14-jointed, 

 thickish ; the second joint thicker than long. The furrows on the 

 cheeks distinct. Mesonotum shagreened ; parapsidal furrows shallow, 

 indistinct. Median segment with basal area bounded by circular keels. 

 Claws simple. Radial cellule often closed. 



Length 2| mm. 



The 14-jointed, stout antennae, the second joint 

 being thicker than long, and the simple claws, suffi- 

 ciently distinguish this species. 



The gall is found at the end of April or beginning 

 of May in the terminal or axillary leaf -buds ; on 

 those buds, namely, whereof the leaves have not begun 

 to grow. In form they are very variable, being 

 conical, oval, or ovoid, and may at the apex terminate 

 in a point. The colour when young is green or 

 yellowish-green, and they may also be tinged with red ; 

 with age they become brownish. They are smooth 

 and glabrous, thin-walled; internally contain one to 

 five cells separated by thin walls, these cells being 

 larger than common, so that the larva is not closely 

 surrounded by the wall as is usual, but is able to 

 move freely. Externally the cells are indicated by 

 bulgings or by keels. The size is variable. The 

 larger specimens project one-half or three-fourths out 

 of the buds, but the smaller not if at all, the buds in 

 this case being enlarged or distorted. With age they 

 shrivel up. 



They are found from the 15th April to the beginning 

 of May, and grow to maturity very quickly, yielding 

 up the insects within three days from the appearance 

 of the galls. 



I have unfortunately not had at hand a fresh 

 specimen for 'figuring, and the dried galls are hardly 

 characteristic of the fresh. 



Mayr records Ceroptres arator as its inquiline, but 

 suggests that it may really have issued from the twig 



