BI01.0GICAL STUDIES OF FIGS. 963 



but can be proven to be yet extant and to constitute our 

 best figs, the conclusion arrived at by Solms must fall. 

 Prof. Solms-Laubach has since acknowledged the cor- 

 rectness of this. 



THE FIG V^ASPS OR BLASTOPHAGAS. 



All known wild fig trees,, and there are over one hundred 

 distinct species described (72) by botanists, are inhabited 

 by very minute wasps known as " inquilines " or para- 

 sites, and scientifically described as Blastophagce. These 

 Blastophagas not only visit the figs, but they live, breed 

 and develop in them, nay more, if deprived of their fig- 

 hosts, these Blastophagas could not live, breed and de- 

 velop anywhere else. The organization of these little 

 wasps is such that while they may possible feed themselves 

 for a short time (though it is doubtful if they do feed 

 at all), they could not possible deposit their eggs else- 

 where than in the " gall flower " of their respective fig, 

 not even in the female flowers of the same fig. Even if ' 

 they did succeed in doing so, their eggs would not de- 

 velop elsewhere and the brood would soon perish. The 

 species would thus become extinct. But this is not all. 

 The relation between the fig and the Blastophogas is so 

 intimate that in order to foster those little wasps nature 

 provides the fig with flowers especially constructed to 

 their use, the " gall flowers " elsewhere described. But 

 if the Blastophaga is dependent upon the fig for its exist- 

 ence, the fig is hardly the less so upon the Blastophaga. 

 Without the Blastophaga no fertile seed would be pro- 

 duced with any regularity (if at all) and the fig species 

 would be in danger of perishing. The influence of the 

 Blastophaga is somewhat different in different fig species. 

 It has been shown that in one species at least, not only 

 the female flowers are dependent for their pollination upon 

 the Blastaphaga, but that the male flowers actually do not 



