274 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION B. 
The following analyses may be regarded as fairly Bias ci § 
its composition : — 
Moisture ie aa ae TOES 18:49 
Volatile and organic ... ae 77°44 79-00 
BASING ays. ee a aee 2-64 2°47 
99-99 99-96 
The scale, treated with solvents, gave the following percentages 
of extract :— 
Cold water .... bs is ... 17:35 per cent. 
Cold ether Se a. ee we ~~ DB2°56 5 
Boiling ether ... Ms us 31250 - 
Cold absolute alcohol . sive cat || Mell 95 
Boiling ,, mg Mercer sete a. d433 Ne 
Wool and silk dyed with this colouring matter, and mordanted 
with aluminium, tin, chromium, and iron, produced the following 
colours :—Light amber, ight orange brown, brown, and sage green 
respectively. 
In these experiments no colours of any great brilliancy or dis- 
tinctiveness were obtained, and with alkali all the colours were 
changed more or less to a pinkish or purplish tinge. 
These facts, taken in conjunction with the somewhat scarce 
source of supply, and the position of the azo and alizarin colours 
in the dyeing industry, would seem to point out that the colour of 
this scale is valueless as a dye. 
In volumetric work, used as an indicator, this colour proved as 
delicate as cochineal and litmus, but, owing to the very faint 
indication which it gives of the change from acid to alkaline 
solutions, and vice versd, it is of no particular value in such work. 
II. CEROPLASTES RUBENS. 
The wax-bearing scale insect, Ceroplastes rubens, occurs in only 
one or two localities in New South Wales, though in Queensland 
it is considered as a destructive pest. 
The scale has a pinkish-white appearance, and when thrown 
into water, floats upon the surface. The brittle shell of wax is 
easily broken with the finger, and is not very sticky when handled; 
it has very little taste. 
The scale, heated and strained through a fine cloth, gave 38 per 
cent. of wax ; whilst extracting the scale with solvents the follow- 
ing percentages of wax were obtained :—Absolute alcohol, 83 per 
cent. ; ether, 86 per cent. ; and benzine, 88 per cent. 
The melting point of heat-extracted wax was 60° C., and that 
of wax extracted by solvents 55° C. Specific gravity of wax at 
