42 HYMENOPTERA. 



her eggs, she pierces the leaf of the oak with 

 the needle or borer at her tail, and deposits an 

 egg in each puncture. The wounds thus made, 

 in a few days begin to swell, and increase from 

 July to September, when they have attained 

 their full size, as represented in the upper part 

 of plate 53. Upon opening one of these galls, 

 we find in the centre a small larva snugly seated, 

 in & cavity perfectly round, and generally rolled 

 into the shape of a ball. In September it be- 

 comes a chrysalis, and in about three weeks 

 after gnaws its way through the gall, and issues 

 a perfect insect, leaving that small round hole 

 which is to be seen in every nut. The Galls 

 used in the arts are chiefly imported from the 

 Levant, and are much stronger than what arise 

 from the Oak of this country. 



SPECIFICATION. 



Cyeips Quercus-folii. C. nigra, thorace lineato, 



pedibus griseis, femoribus subtus nigris. Linn. 



Syst. Nat. 1. p. 918. Gmel. l.p. 2650. Fabr. Ent. 



Si/st. 2. p. 101. Spec. Ins. 1. p. 403. Mant. Ins. 1. 



■" p. 252. 



