HYMENOPTERA. TEREBRANTIA. 173 



alone, their works are familiar to all. The large 

 oak-apple, so carefully sought for by children, to be 

 covered with leaf-gold in loyal preparation for " King 

 Charles's Day," is universally known. The little clear, 

 globular red and green gall, hanging on its long strings 

 from the catkins of the oak, and tempting to a parody 

 of the old North country ballad 



" far hae I ridden, 



And meikle bae I seen, 

 But currants upon oak trees 

 Afore I ne'er saw nane ;"* 



the " Artichoke gall," on the same tree ; the round 

 smooth gall so common now, though unknown in 

 England forty years ago ; all these, and many more, are 

 among the common sights seen in every country walk by 

 the least observant. 



Other gall, there are, some as conspicuous as these, 

 some even more so, which are less universally recognised 

 as animal productions. The beautiful mossy tuft of 

 crimson and green found on the stems of the wild rose, 

 the small flat scales which sometimes entirely cover the 

 under side of oak-leaves, some of the woody excrescences 

 upon the trunks of trees, are alike produced by the gall- 

 fly. But the young entomologist must not hastily con- 

 clude that all similar excrescences or morbid vegetable 

 growths are the work of the Gallfly ; many other insects, 

 as the Sawfly (above mentioned), the Aphis, certain two- 

 winged flies, and some beetles produce them ; while cer- 

 tain morbid growths are produced by other agents. Thus, 



* A large oak-gall growing near the Dead Sea has been seriously 

 believed to be a species of fruit " which turns to ashes in the mouth ;" 

 still bearing testimony till the present time of the sentence pronounced 

 upon the accursed city. 



