FLUCTUATING VARIATIONS 



151 



paper into a number of equal squares (or the proceeding may be 

 simplified by working with already squared paper). The diagram 

 is completed by shading in an appropriate square for each 

 inflorescence, the position of the square being determined by the 

 number of flowers which it contains, and by the number of 



20 21 22 25 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 

 Number of flowers in each Inflorescence 



FIG. 72. Fluctuating Variation in Inflorescences of the 

 Grape Hyacinth. 



similar inflorescences which have preceded it in the enumeration. 

 Thus an inflorescence with twenty-five flowers must be repre- 

 sented by a square added to the column above the number 25 

 on the base line, and so on. If now we join the middle points of 

 the tops of all the columns by straight lines, we get a zig-zag line 

 which represents the curve of variation as determined by our actual 

 observations. It is obviously a very imperfect result, but its 



