THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



279 



reached Melbourne it has not sur- 

 vived, probably V)ecause of the 

 cold winter. 



The j)rocess of seed fertiliza- 

 tion in the case of the Port Jack- 

 son Fig was found to be exactly 

 similar to that of the Moreton Bay 

 Fig, excepting that a different 

 species of fig-insect is concerned 

 in the transfer of pollen. 



The life habits of the fertiliziiiti; 

 insect associated with the Moreton 

 Bay Fig and the comjilex struc- 

 ture of the fig itself, all adapted 

 perfectly for the fulfilment of their 

 mutual needs, are too elaborate 

 to present in detail here. The 

 principal tacts, however, may be 

 given. The insect emerges from 

 a ripe fig by boring out. It has 

 been a developing larva, or Avorm-like 

 individual for many weeks within the Hg, 

 together with from fifty to one hundred 

 other larvae of the same sort. It has 

 lived and fed in a particular part of the 

 fig. When the fig has finally become 

 fully developed, certain of its fiowers, all 

 tightly enclosed inside the fruit, open 

 and scatter a profusion of pollen-grains 

 within the interior. It is then, through 

 the marvellous provision of nature, 

 that these worm -like creatures have 

 completed their development, pupated 

 and become transformed into active 

 wasp-like fig-insects. These mature 

 insects immediately bore out of the fig, 

 as noted above, and come to light with 

 many pollen grains, excessively small. 



Fruit and leaves of Ficus macrophylla, the 

 Moreton Bay Fig. 



[Photo. — A. Mi(S(jran: 



form of the Port Jackson Fig, growing near the 

 National Art Gallery, Sydney. This species 

 may be easily recognised from the Moreton 

 Bay Fig by its smaller leaves. 



Il'liiitii. — .1. Miixiirai-e. 



ad hexing to the body. As soon as the 

 insect is out it searches over the tree 

 or another one in the vicinity, for a very 

 young fig just forming on the tree, 

 carrying the pollen unconsciously with 

 it. It so happens that the young fig, 

 for which the insect is searching, is 

 filled with certain floAvers just ready for 

 the reception of pollen. When the 

 fig-insect has found such a fig, it im- 

 mediately bores into it and begins 

 laying eggs to the amount of about 

 seventy-five. In doing this it accom- 

 plishes the principal Avork in its own 

 life — the housing for the feeding and 

 development of its progeny. But in 

 attaining this object, it has done the 

 tree a service of vital importance. It 

 has carried pollen into the young 

 fig at exactly the time the female 

 fiowers within the fruit need the 

 pollen for the fertilization and 

 development of seed. The tree 

 is thus absolutely dependent upon 

 this particular insect for its repro- 

 duction or perpetuation and the 

 insect equally in need of this tree, 

 and no other, for the continuance 

 of its existence. This is a mar- 

 vellous provision of nature to 

 ensure cross -polhnation. 



The Fort Jackson Fig was found 

 to be inhabited and pollinated by 

 another insect, related to, but 

 different from that in the ^loreton 

 Bay Fig. The important relation- 



