964 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



develop their fertilizing pollen without having first been 

 stimulated by the mechanical action of the Blastophaga. 

 This discovery was made by Dr. Cunningham, a result 

 from his experiments on Ficiis Roxhurghii, in India. 



Figs are visited by many insects, but a distinction must 

 be made between " visitors " and "regular boarders." 

 The former visit the fig-s in order to feed, either on the 

 fruit and its juices, or upon other insects. The boarder 

 or " inquilines " again breed in the fig, and cannot breed 

 anywhere else. The former will injure the fig in various 

 degrees, while the latter are absolutely necessary for the 

 material maintainance and multiplication of the fig tree 

 species they inhabit. 



LIFE -HISTORY OF THE CAPRIFIG WASP, BLASTOPHAGA 



PSENES. 



If we during the month of June or July (73) cut open 

 a " profico " or scond crop caprifig just when it is full 

 grown, we may notice that it contains a large number of 

 ofall flowers or grails around which crawl numerous little 

 insects, some of which resemble minute black wasps, 

 while others of the same size are wingless and very dif- 

 ferently shaped, as well as being of a yellow or brown 

 color. A closer inspection will reveal to us that a num- 

 ber of the galls are perforated by a single round hole 

 through which may either be seen the hollow of the gall, 

 or the wasp itself, not having yet escaped. A closer in- 

 spection may even show us how the light colored insects, 

 which are the male wasps, are enlarging the holes in order 

 to enable the females or winged wasps to escape. These 

 respective insects are male and female of the same species 

 known to naturalists variously as Blaslophaga psenes, 

 Blastophaga gro&soriim, or Cynips pscnes. 



The male insects are the first ones to hatch and escape, 

 with their powerful mandibles or jaws they easily cut 



