INTRODUCTION Xv 
of the galls cannot be expected to occur in England, 
and several of our English forms do not appear in 
those countries. It is not improbable, however, that 
some of the continental species do occur in England, 
and that they will be found when more workers are 
engaged upon the subject. I have therefore prepared 
a list of Mid-European oak galls with fullest details 
obtainable, as a guide to the collector. The list must 
not be regarded as complete (pp. 155-158). 
The history of British oak galls dates from a very 
early period. 
The word “ gall” appears first in English literature 
in ‘ Trevisa,’ Barth., De P. R., XVII, civ (Tollem MS.), 
where the following occurs: “ The mall (Mandragora) 
hap white leuse . . . and apples growep on pe 
leues, as galles growep on oaken leues.” In 1481 
Caxton uses the word “ gall.” Turner, in his ‘ Herbal,’ 
ii, 109 (1562) describes a gall as “the fruite of an 
oke, and especially of the leve.”’ In 1616 Surfl. and 
Markh., in ‘Country Farme,’ p. 28, remark: “ He 
shall know a fruitfull and fertile yeare if he see the 
Oke apples, commonly called Gals.” 
In the last case the reference is to the oak-apple, 
Teras terminalis. Probably very few other oak galls. 
had then been observed. In 1668, however, several 
kinds were recorded. In a volume published in 1902, 
(‘Notes and Letters on the Natural History of 
Norfolk, more especially on the Birds and Fishes; 
from the MSS. of Sir Thomas Browne, M.D. [1605- 
1682],’ by Thomas Southwell, F.Z.S.), there are two 
references of much value in showing the circumstances 
under which these galls were introduced to literature. 
The fact is also revealed that Sir Thomas was aware 
of galls on foreign oak trees. 
“The fourth letter to Dr. Merrett, Decemb. xxix 
(1668). (Fol. 42 verso) . . . . 
“A paragraph might probably be annexed unto 
Quercus. Though wee hawe not all the exotic oakes, 
nor their excretions, yet these and probably more 
s 
