8476 



Insects. 



tarsi, and the entire posterior tarsi, are brown or brown-black. The 

 t'egulae and the nervures at the base of the wing are reddish yellow ; 

 the remaining nervures black ; the wings themselves strongly irides- 

 cent. The stigma is particularly large. The last segment of the 

 abdomen is reddish yellow on both surfaces. This description is 

 illustrated by our fig. 5. 



The female differs from the male in the following particulars : — 

 The antennse are entirely black both above and beneath, or at most 

 have but a tinge of brown on the last two joints. The margins of the 

 collar are obscure yellow, the coxae and apophyses straw-colour. The 

 tarsi of the first and second pair only bear little brown points, and in 

 the posterior pair the first two joints of the tarsi are yellow, and the last 

 three brown or brownish black (fig. 6). The whole of the under sur- 

 face is obscure greenish red ; for the rest the abdomen, as also the 

 ovipositor, pitchy black. 



During the first two days after their appearance the movements of 

 these savvflies were very quick ; nevertheless I did not see them pair, 

 and the insects soon died. I suppose that in their free state they ex- 

 tract the nectar from the flowers of the catkins of the willow, and so 

 prolong their lives for a few days. I should much have liked to have 

 observed the laying of the eggs, and the commencement and growth 

 of the galls ; but this is not practicable, unless one resided in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of the willows on which the animals live ; 

 I am consequently unable to give any information as to where the egg 

 is deposited ; it is, however, most probable that the female makes an 

 incision in the mid-rib on the under surface of the leaf, and there 

 places her egg. Meanwhile De Geer states that the galls occur on 

 little stalks, which circumstance appears to me improbable. I have 

 not observed stalks to any of the galls in my possession, about fifty 

 in number. 



I should much like to be able to compare the present species with 

 the other species or variety living on the willow growing by the water- 

 side. 



Oxypoda umbrata. — In January last I captured, at Highgate, an Oxyporla which 

 appeared different from any member of that genus hitherto considered British, and by 

 the kind assistance of Mr. Waterhouse I am enabled to record it as Oxypoda umbrata, 

 Mann. Brack. 70, 5 ; Erichs. Gen. 144, 5 (Aleochara umhrata, GylL, Sa/db.), a species 

 new to our lists. It is shorter and much narrower than 0. opaca, and not quite so dull 

 as that insect ; black, clothed with fine pubescence ; the elytra pitchy brown ; base of 

 antennas and legs rufo-testaceous, and having in the abdomen (which is attenuate at 



