THE WAVY-LEAVED OAK. 303 
twig on which it grew during the lifetime of the 
enclosed grubs. 
Similar excrescences to the currant-shaped 
flower-galls are also found attached to the leaves of 
the Oak. But these—‘leaf-galls’—are sometimes 
larger than the normal currant size, probably on 
account of the more abundant flow of the sap of 
the Tree into its leaves. An Oak bud is some- 
times made the depository of an iusect’s egg, and 
then is formed a curious cone-shaped excrescence, 
to which the name of ‘artichoke-gall’ is given. 
Sometimes galls are formed on the trunk of the 
Oak, just above the ground, by an insect, and the 
leaves of the Tree are often covered by small red 
excrescences, called ‘Oak spangles.’ The acorn, 
too, is frequently punctured by an insect, and 
what is called a ‘nut-gall’ formed: but within 
every gall there is the enclosed egg, grub, or 
fly. 
A volume might almost be filled with a descrip- 
tion of the uses of the Oak as timber. In its 
qualities of hardness, toughness, strength, and 
durability, Oak wood excels the wood of any other 
British forest Tree. Other wood may be mentioned 
