the Tasmanian naturalist. 
E— The enclosed gall insect of Cylindrococcus. 
mother's gall, they wander over the hark, 
and finally settle down; here they cause 
galls to form, the galls in time com¬ 
pletely; covering them. The galls con¬ 
tinue to grow, am) eventually from the 
middle of each gall a cylindrical woody 
growth appears, which may lie readily 
detached. Meanwhile changes have been 
taking place in the insect itself; it loses 
its legs, antennae, amt eyes, and even its 
mouth parts (henceforth receiving its 
nourishment through its skin k.y the pro¬ 
cess known as osmosis), and appears 
as a little brownish-red object, of 
irregular shape, hut having a small 
node at its Voder end, and a sort of thick 
tail at one side. As growth continues, 
the tail becomes thinner ant) increases in 
length, extending almost the whole length 
of the cylindrical woody growth; its bot¬ 
tom also becomes almost saucer shaped, 
hut still with tile small node, which is 
fitted into a depression of the wood; it is 
daubtless at this stage Unit pairing 
takes {lisice. Later on the tail collapses, 
bends over, and appears fitted to a re¬ 
movable cap, which is joined to the body 
byi an irregular suture—much ns the su¬ 
tures between the hones of the human 
skull. The hotly itself is now shaped 
like a wad, and on removing the cap the 
top can he seen to be completely cov¬ 
ered by fine concentric rings with a small 
opening in the centre, from which the 
young can nearly always be seen 
escaping. A heavy coating of white 
mealy substance is always attached 
to the walls of the enclosing galls, 
whilst the insects are healthy, hut 
when these are attacked by para¬ 
sites, as is often the case, this sub¬ 
stance disappears. When full fed, the 
lower portion of the gall is completely 
filled, and doubtless gives to the insect 
its peculiar wad-like shape. The trees 
attacked by these insects arc often 
killed by them, and the gil'ls are fre¬ 
quently to he seen in immense numbers. 
Common as the females are, the itmlc has 
never yet been described, and has pro¬ 
bably never been seen, although it has 
keenly been searched for; it will prob 
ably he much the same, however, as many 
others of the family. iliielly summed 
up tile life history! of this insect, pro¬ 
bably the most remarkable m Australia, 
if not in the whole world, is a< follows: 
I. I! >rn in possession of six legs, two 
compound eyes, a pair of antennae, and 
with mouth parts. 
Attacks hark, and causes compound 
galls to form. 
:i. Cains a tail, but loses its legs, an¬ 
tennae, eyes, and month part;; at this 
stage completely cut oil' from toe outer 
air. From now onwards nourished 
through its skin. 
•1. Again changes its shape, mid greatly 
increases the length of its tail, again be¬ 
coming connected with the outer air. 
5. Again changes its shape, tail becomes 
semi-detached from the body, the upper 
surface of which is marked by numerous 
concentric rings. 
C. Females abundant; male unknown. 
