160 ROSE GALLS. 



Several other of these curious productions of animal origin, 

 but vegetable growth, have been found upon the English oak ; 

 but it is to the oaks of other lands, those chiefly of Asia 

 Minor, that we are indebted for the Galls, which, exported 

 from Smyrna and Aleppo, made a prime ingredient of our 

 ink. Such as may be curious to look upon one of those fairy- 

 like Oriental flies, whose tiny wands have assisted to feed their 

 pens, perhaps also their purses and their pride, have only to 

 buy and bruise some half dozen of the best blue galls, in one 

 or more of which the perfect insect is almost certain to be 

 found imbedded. 



Various are the other trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants 

 which produce each their peculiar galls. As the towering oak 

 is not too lofty, neither is the trailing ground-ivy 1 too lowly 

 to escape the impost levied on its juices for the protection and 

 support of Gall-fly infancy, which is also cradled on the 

 branches of poplar, willow, rose, and broom. Very commonly 

 met with on the leaves of the hedge-rose, in July and August, 

 is a berry-shaped gall, nearly resembling the currant-gall of 

 the oak. Like that, it is coloured much like an apple, usually 

 advancing with age from paly-green to rosy and mellow red ; 

 but, instead of being always smooth, this miniature and mimic 

 fruit often displays a sprinkling of short sharp thorns indicative 

 of the character of its fostering, if not parent, stem. 2 Besides 

 the above, the dog-rose is accustomed to display one of the 

 most conspicuous and perhaps the very prettiest of all Gall-fly 

 productions. This, which is often called the rose Bedeguar, 

 wears the appearance of a mossy tuft, varying greatly in size 

 and in colour from green to brilliant red. 3 In some parts of 

 England it is said to be known by the name of Robin's Pin- 

 cushion (we suppose Robin Goodfellow's) a term which 

 would serve to designate its fairy-like formation. The creative 

 piercer of the fairy insect is, on this occasion, usually applied 



1 The gall of the ground-ivy is produced by a Gall -gnat. 

 2 Vignette. 3 Vignette. 



