WHITE WAX INSECT. 95 



form, in which it is easily made into cakes of the 

 required size. This wax is exceedingly white and 

 glossy, and when mixed with oil and made into 

 candles, it is even superior for that purpose to the 

 wax made by bees. Sir Gr. Staunton says that 

 the product of these insects not only coagulates 

 into wax, but will cause oleaginous substances to 

 coagulate likewise, so that if one part of this wax 

 be dissolved in three parts of heated olive oil, the 

 \vhole, when cold, will coagulate into a mass, pos- 

 sessing a degree of firmness nearly equal to that of 

 bees-wax. A Chinese writer states that it was 

 not until the dynasty of Yuen that the wax made 

 by these insects became known in China; but 

 that as soon as its properties were ascertained, 

 persons of all ranks began to use it, both in medi- 

 cine and domestic economy. The medicinal qua- 

 lities of the wax were much extolled by Chinese 

 physicians, and a curious use of it is stated in Gro- 

 sier's China, namely, that the Chinese orators, 

 when about to speak in public and needing assu- 

 rance, previously eat an ounce of this wax to pre- 

 vent swoonings. But apart from virtues which 



