446 Mr. Lambert's Account of the Galls found on a Species of Oak 



the curiosity to taste a small quantity of the interior of one, I found it the 

 strongest of bitters, and that it may truly be said of it, " as bitter as gall." 



The Gall is pear-shaped, with a circle of small sharp-pointed protuberances 

 on the upper part of it, which appear to be formed by the insect for air or 

 defence, or some other purpose. In each of the Galls there is an aperture 

 through which the insect escapes, and in the centre there is a small round 

 liole, or nidus, where it has lodged. 



Since writing the above, I find the leaves of the oak to be those of Quercus 

 infectoria, which is accurately figured in Olivier's Travels in the Levant, and 

 that the Galls are identical with those of commerce. The tree grows abun- 

 dantly throughout Syria. The insect has been named by Olivier Diplolepis ; 

 and it is also accurately figured by him in the above-mentioned work, but he 

 does not appear to have been aware of the Galls being the same with the Mala 

 insana. 



The following are extracts from Conder's Modern Traveller : 

 " There yet remains to be noticed, in connexion with this subject, the far- 

 famed apples 



" which grew 

 Near that bituminous lake where Sodom stood." 



Tacitus and Josephus both mention this fruit as beautiful to the eye, but 

 crumbling at the touch to dust and bitter ashes*. Reland, Maundrell and 

 Shaw all express themselves as sceptical concerning its existence. But none ■ 

 of them explored the borders of the lake sufficiently to entitle them to give a 

 decided opinion on the subject, having only seen its northern shore. Pococke 

 is inclined to lay more stress on the ancient testimonies ; and he supposes the 

 apples to be pomegranates, " which having a tough, hard rind, and being left 

 on the trees two or three years, the inside may be dried to dust, and the out- 

 side may remain fair." Hasselquist however, the pupil of Linnaeus, pro- 

 nounces the Po7na sodomitica to be the fruit of the Solanum Melonge^ia, (Egg- 



* Book of Wisdom, chap. x. verse 7. — " .... of whose wickedness even to this day the waste land 

 that smoketh is a testimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripeness : and a standing 

 pillar of salt is a monument of an unbelieving soul." 



t See also Wisdom x. 7 . 



