510 BOAT-TAILED GRAKLE. 



from all other forest trees, it attains a great size, spreading out its large 

 arms to the distance sometimes of twenty yards, but seldom reaching to a 

 proportionate height. Splendid avenues of this valuable tree are fre- 

 quently seen in Georgia, South Carolina, and many of the sea islands, 

 leading to the planters' houses. A few miles below New Orleans are 

 some, probably centuries old, which are the finest I have seen. I have 

 not observed this tree far above the city of Natchez on the Mississippi, nor 

 farther eastward than the central maritime parts of North Carolina. It 

 prefers flat rich soils, and is rarely found at any great distance from rivers 

 or the sea-shore. The leaves are evergreen, leathei'y, oblong-elliptical, 

 obtuse at the base, acute at the tip, with the edges revolute, and the 

 lower surface downy ; the cupule is turbinate, with short scales ; the 

 acorn oblong, sweet, and to the taste of some equal to the hazel-nut. 



