We have collected 29 gamma-ray-loud blazars (16 BL Lac objects and 13 flat-
spectrum radio quasars) with both observed near-IR and gamma -ray flux dens
itees, with the following main results: (1)there is a very strong correlati
on between F-gamma and F-IR in the low state, and a weaker but also signifi
cant correlation between F-gamma and F-IR in the high state for 23 objects
with both high and low state fluxes; (2) there is a very significant correl
ation between F-gamma and F-IR in the low state, and a weak correlation bet
ween F-gamma and F-IR in the high state for 29 sources; (3) there is a corr
elation between F-gamma and F-IR but not between F-gamma and F-O, and F-R f
or both the low and high state of 26 sources; (4) there is a strong correla
tion between F-gamma and F-IR in the low and high states for 15 BL Lac obje
cts, but not for 11 flat-spectrum radio quasars. Possible constraints on th
e gamma -ray emission mechanism are discussed. We suggest that the main gam
ma-ray radiation mechanism is probably the synchrotron self-Compton process
. The inverse Compton scattering of the radiation from hot circumnuclear du
st with T-g = 2000K, which is located within the region of r approximate to
3pc, by beamed ultrarelativistic electrons is likely to be an important co
mplementary mechanism. In addition, the gamma -ray emission may be somewhat
different for BL Lac objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars.