Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/507

Rh 8-jointed, the maximum number of about twenty-five being attained in the males of some Coccidæ." I have seen this statement repeated in various entomological works, but I believe it to be quite erroneous, and founded upon the fact that in many male Monophlebids the joints are 3-nodose, each node giving rise to a prominent whorl of hairs. Ten is the normal number of joints in the males of the Coccidæ. I know of no species in which this number is exceeded. I give a sketch below of the antenna of a male Monophlebus, which will show you how the misconception has arisen.— (Royal Botanic Garden, Peradeniya, Ceylon).

[Mr. Green appears to be quite correct in his contention on this point, as may be seen from the above figure, and from microscopical examination made since the receipt of his letter. I had unquestionably followed the opinions of very high authorities. Latreille ('Le Règne Animal,' tome v. p. 232 (1829)), who appears to have been the first to give a diagnosis of the genus, which he writes "Monophleba," refers to a species from Java, "remarquable par ses antennes, composées d'environ vingt-deux articles." Burmeister ('Handbuch der Entomologie,' ii. p. 80 (1835)) describes the males of Monophlebus as having up to twenty-five joints. Westwood, who paid much attention to the genus ('Vigors' Zool. Journ.' v. p. 452 (1835)), describes the antennæ of the male of one species as "26 articulatæ." Recently Dr. Sharp ('Cambridge Nat. Hist.' vol. vi. p. 539 (1899)) has described the maximum number of antennal joints in some males as about twenty-five. The issue rests on the method of morphological interpretation, and Mr. Green has done a very useful service.—]

A Remarkable West African Leaf-Gall.—The gall illustrated in the accompanying photograph is very noticeable, owing to its resemblance to an inflorescence. It is common enough in this locality, and I have met with more than a dozen specimens of it. It is always found on the same plant (apparently a species of Ficus), and I have only seen