Kinsey: Studies of Cynipidse 



127 



In such a case any one of the varieties is midway between 

 the other two. Practically this ideal arrangement often ex- 

 ists in nature, as may be discovered by comparing, word for 

 word, my descriptions of the varieties of many species of 

 Cynipidss. Unfortunately it is too often the practice to choose 

 one of such a set as the victim and call it a "hybrid", neglect- 

 ing to see that any one stands in a similar relation to the 

 others ! Even when the proportion is not so equal v\^e are 

 not warranted in believing any one the product of the other 

 two, for we really know little about the occurrence or nature 

 of hybrids, and particularly little concerning their occurrence 

 in the field ; most of our field hybrids are pure assumptions, 

 recognized by preconceived notions as to how^ a hybrid should 

 look. I am not inclined to account any of these varieties of 

 elongatus hybrids. Large series of each variety are remark- 

 ably uniform, even tho all three forms come from one 

 locality, and altho I know little about it I should expect to 

 find hybrids showing several degrees of intermediates, with 

 individuals of one variety varying toward those of another. 



The galls of two of these insects are very similar, the gall 

 of the third is very distinct, altho still showing the specific 

 relations. 



The most interesting question raised by the species is that 

 of the relation of the varieties to their hosts. Up to date each 

 variety has been taken from only a single species of oak, but 

 elongatus and rufopleur% both occur on Qiierciis breviloha. I 

 rather expect to find each variety restricted to a single faunal 

 area, all three areas meeting at Austin, but not until we have 

 further collecting can this be determined finally. 



Plagiotrichus elongatus variety elongatus, new variet}^ 



FEMALE. — Shows the following characters in addition to those 

 common to all varieties of the species: Antennae brown apically; parap- 

 sidal grooves distinct for three quarters or more of the length of the 

 mesonotum; median groove wanting; mesopleurae puncto-aciculate, in 

 part entirely smooth, less hairy than in the other varieties, usually 

 bright rufous; foveas small, very narrow, smooth at bottom; abdomen 

 averaging lighter than in stellatse, especially posteriorly; legs brownish 

 rufous, coxae wholly rufous, the tibis and the hind legs in general tend- 

 ing toward a dark brown; wing veins averaging slightly finer than in 

 stellatse, especially the first abscissa of the radius; areolet of moderate 

 size or larger; slightly smaller in build than in stellate, particularly 

 in the width of the thorax and the size of the abdomen. 



