MISS ORMEROD OK INJURIOUS INSECTS, 
Last Monday the members of the Richmond 
Atheoseum again met in the Masonic Hall, which was 
completely tided by those who came together to 
hear a paper by Miss Eieanor Ormerod, f.m.s. 
(who is a member of the Richmond Athenaeum), 
entitled “Notes on Insect Life in Wayside Wan¬ 
derings ” Mr. Edward King presided, and in 
introducing Miss Ormerod remarked that the 
indebtedness of agriculturists to her labours with 
reference to injurious insects was very great, and her 
efforts were known and highly appreciated not only 
in England but in the colonies, and in such far away 
cities of Europe as Moscow. A great deal of energy 
and usefulness had been put into her researches, the 
results of which were introduced in a thoroughly 
practical way. Only recently Miss Ormerod read 
a most valuable paper at the Royal Agricultural 
College at Cirencester, and received the thanks of 
that scientific body.—Miss Ormerod, who was 
heartily received, then proceeded to read her paper, 
which was illustrated by some excellent sketches 
by her sister, Miss Georgiana Ormerod. Referring 
first to a few of the more noticeable forms of 
abnormal growths known as galls, which insects 
give rise to on our oaks, Miss Ormerod said : 
Within the compass of an afternoon stroll we may 
find gall-growths formed by species of at least four 
different orders of insects, and the oak (of which 
you have such noble trees at hand) suffers from at 
least forty kinds of galls formed by small four¬ 
winged flies of the genus cynips or nearly allied 
genera, which may be described as very like small 
wasps, but furnished with an ovipositor instead of 
a sting. With this they puncture the unexpanded 
leaf-bud (sometimes months before the leaves un¬ 
fold) ; or the growing leaves, or the infloresence, or 
the bark, or creepiug under the surface of the 
ground, even the root fibres are not secure from 
attack. One or more eggs are inserted at the 
attacked spot, and from the irritation caused by 
the presence of the egg, or by some process accom¬ 
panying egg-laying, the diseased growths arise 
which we know as oak-galls, in which the maggots 
or larvse hatch, and feed, and in due time go 
through their transformations to the perfect insect. 
Of these the well-known “ oak-apples ” are almost 
