THE BRITISH NATURALIST. 



93 



generation and not in another. This the common cup apple (Andricus 

 temiinalis ) is supposed to be the summer form, and the root gall 

 (Biovhiza apteva) the autumn form of the same insect ; the oak spangle 

 (Lenticularis) and the currant gall (S.bnccarum) also two generations 

 of the same species, but this is a subject which requires working at 

 by specialists. 



With regard to the breeding of gall flies there is a very good 

 paper by Mr. Fitch (" Entomologist," Vol. VIII., p. 170) in reply to 

 a question of mine when I was beginning this study. The galls 

 should be gathered on a dry day, and when fully mature, and should 

 be kept in gaily pots covered with glass. Have nothing in the pots 

 except the galls ; no leaves, no sticks, nor anything except the galls, 

 otherwise mistakes may occur. Keep them in a cool place, and not 

 in the sun, and when the flies appear they will crowd upon the glass 

 cover, which may be gently removed and tapped over a saucer of hot 

 water. The flies drop on the hot water with expanded wings, and 

 are killed, and may be lifted out on bits of paper. When dry they 

 may be taken from the bits of paper and mounted, with tragacanth, 

 on white cardboard. The main thing to guard against in breeding 

 gall flies is mould, and this may be prevented sometimes by using 

 glass topped boxes instead of gaily pots. Do not throw the galls away 

 when the first lot of flies have appeared : parasites will come out 

 afterwards. 



The only list of British gall insects anything like complete, of 

 which I am aware, is that by Albert Miiller in the " Entomologist's 

 Annual " for 1872, where he enumerates 36 Hymenoptera, 36 Diptera, 

 9 Coleoptera, 8 Homoptera, and 2 Lepidoptera, a total of 91 species. 

 To this list I have added the Mite Galls, also several Pseudo-Galls, 

 perhaps purposely excluded by Miiller, and b}' searching through the 

 " Entomologist," " Entomologist's Monthly Magazine," and other 

 sources, together with my own observations, I have brought up the 

 species known to me to 191. And now let me say that I shall be very 

 pleased to receive galls, particularly from Yorkshire, Lancashire, and 

 Cheshire, with a view to compiling county lists, or to correspond with 

 persons interested in the subject. Botanists have ample opportunities 

 for finding galls, and they would be rendering service to science if 

 they would pick up such as come in their way, and send them in for 

 identification. 



My list of galls is made up as follows : — -Coleoptera, 10 sp. I have 

 added Supevda populnea to Miiller's list, and there are a few others 

 still to add.* Centodeynclnis sulcicollis galls the roots of turnip and 

 cabbage, and is included among injurious insects by Miss Ormerod. 



* Dr. Ellis has very kindly offered to look up the Coleopterous gail makers for me. 



