POLLINATION OF PIG. 273 



the varieties of Fig at present under cultivation in Italy 

 produce perfect carpellar\' flowers only in the summer 

 crop, for in the winter crop these arc arrested. All these 

 ^'arieties of Fig no longer require pollination, and this 

 explains their habit. But where, on the contrar\', fertil- 

 isation is indispensible, as is the case with the Sm\'rna 

 Fig, the carpellary flowers are produced in all crops 

 read\' for pollination. This, however, can onh' be per- 

 formed b\' the Rlastophagae which, laden with pollen 

 from the Caprifig, creep into the cavit^' of the iig on the 

 cultivated tree and dust the stigmas of the carpellary 

 flowers. The wasp itself derives no benefit from this 

 ser\'ice as it cannot pierce the ovar\- of a normal car- 

 pellary flower with its ovipositor. It flnally hu's an egg 

 between the carpellar\' flowers, but this comes to nothing, 

 riuis llie instinct of the wasp has been deceived from 

 time immemorial. The close resemblance of the car- 

 pellar\- fig to the Caprilig has misled them. AIoreo\'er 

 the cultivated Fig-tree in some measure treats the 

 deluded wasps genth' and permits most of them to 

 escape. Some tropical Figs act differenth", for the wasps 

 that have forced their wa^' into their carpellary ilgs have 

 to lose their lives. 



It ma\' be asked, how is it possible for such a 

 contri\'ance to continue in Nature .'' T"he answer is 

 easih' given. Without the sacrifice of these wasps, 

 which unwittingh' perform the necessar^- pollination of 

 the carpellar\' flowers, this species of wasp would 

 become e.xtinct, for its xer\ existence is bound up 

 with that of the tree. Failing pollination, which nor- 



