384 Linnean Society. [May 1, 



The author concluded as follows : — 



"The Flata limbata occurs in great abundance in China, and also 

 in some parts of India, and 1 believe, from the facts above stated, that 

 there is nothing improbable in the original statement of Sir George 

 Staunton, that it may be a source of the Insect-wax of commerce. 

 That it is the sole source, as was once believed, I think is disproved 

 by the arguments which Mr. Hanbury has brought forward in favour 

 of the Coccus Pela. That it is one source, however, of the Insect- 

 wax employed for economical purposes by the Chinese, I think is 

 rendered highly probable by the following considerations : — 



" 1. We have seen that the Flata limbata secretes a waxy matter 

 in considerable quantity. 



" 2. This waxy matter resembles closely in its characters and 

 chemical relations the Chinese insect- wax of commerce. 



" 3. The Flata limbata is known to be very common in many parts 

 of China. 



" 4, Sir George Staunton, when travelling in Cochin China, found 

 that it was generally believed that the white matter secreted by the 

 Flata limbata formed the white wax of the East, and he adds, ' It is 

 asserted on the spot, to have the property, by a particular manipula- 

 tion, of giving in certain proportions with vegetable oil such solidity 

 to the composition, as to render the whole equally capable of being 

 moulded into candles.' The truth of this statement I have myself 

 verified. 



"5. It has been stated by Dr. Macgowan (Journal of Horticult. 

 Soc. of India, vol. vii. p. 164), that the annual produce of the Insect- 

 wax in China is not far from £400,000 ; and when we consider the 

 very small quantity yielded by an individual insect, whether the 

 ' Coccus Pela or the Flata limbata, it would appear probable that the 

 substance may be obtained from several insects, of which no doubt 

 the Coccus Pela is one, and probably the Flata Uinbata is another." 



The paper was illustrated by specimens of the insect in its natural 

 state adhering to the leaf, and also by numerous preparations, 

 illustrative of the microscopic appearances and chemical relations, of 

 the waxy matter both of the Coccus Pela and Flata limbata. The 

 specimens of the Flata limbata adhering to the leaf have since been 

 deposited in the Museum of the Royal Gardens at Kew. Micro- 

 scopical delineations of appearances seen in the secretions both of 

 Flata limbata and of Coccus Pela, and of the spiral threads and white 

 hairs of the pupa of Flata limbata, also accompanied the paper. 



