THE MISTLETOE OF THE DRUIDS. 263 



of the gall insects (Cynips rosa?), which pierces the brier, in 

 order to deposit its eggs; the sap flowing from the part that 

 has been pricked forms this excrescence, which is of the 

 same nature as the gall nuts of the oak. The gall nut of 

 commerce (Diplolepis gallse tinctoride,*) comes from the Le- 

 vant. 



HENRIETTA. 



Frederick, when you climbed into the oak, you should have 

 looked for some mistletoe. 



MRS. F. 



He would have had but little chance of finding it, for it is 

 rarely, if ever, found upon the oak, but generally upon the 

 hawthorn and the apple-tree. Indeed, this circumstance, 

 combined with others, has led De Candolle to think that our 

 mistletoe (J r iscum album} is not the plant of the Druids. He 

 says, that he has travelled all over France, and all the neigh- 

 boring countries, and has seen the mistletoe growing on every 

 kind of tree,* excepting upon the oak; while, on the contrary, 

 he has found, in the environs of Parma, Loranthus Europasus 



Loranthus Europseus. 



growing spontaneously upon every species of indigenous oak; 

 and this plant so clearly resembles the mistletoe in appear- 

 ance, that it has received the same common appellation, and 

 may easily be mistaken for it. If the mistletoe had existed 

 upon the oak at the time of the Druids, there is no reason 



* Even upon the fir. Mr. Arundell,in his travels in Asia Minor, 

 observed the mistletoe upon the willow. 



