52 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



Mr. Jas. M'Carthy, Yarraville ; one opossum from Mr. W. Ander- 

 son, Parkville ; two albatross and three giant petrels from Captain 

 Anderson, s. Fordjham ; one blue-tongued lizard from Mr. A. H. 

 Rosson, Stawell ; one deer from Mr. E. Smith, of Parkville ; one 

 native bear from Mr. F. H. M'Carthy, Charleville ; one kangaroo 

 from Mr. D. S. Drape, North Melbourne ; one iguana from Mr. 

 W. Gratton, Violet - Town ; one opossum from Miss Withby, St. 

 Kilda. 



Insect Wax. — In a few notes on insect wax in a recent 

 Chemist and Druggist, Mr. J. R. Jackson, Curator of the Museums, 

 Kew, England, remarks " that the production of insect wax in 

 some countries forms an important branch of commerce, notably 

 in China, where on the branches of Fraxinus chinensis and 

 Ligustrum htcidum wax is produced in great abundance by an 

 insect, a species of Coccus, C. perla. Similar substances occur 

 in other countries, which, if more attention were given to them, 

 might perhaps be utilized. Even the dreaded 'Australian bug,' 

 or, as it is now known, the ' fluted scale-insect,' Icerya purchasi, 

 which has become such a pest of late years to many useful plants 

 in New Zealand, California, and South Africa, might perhaps be 

 turned to some profitable account, and the creature would thus 

 cease to be the pest which it is now considered. In some 

 parts of the Cape Colony the orange culture has suffered severely 

 from the attacks of these insects, while a similar misfortune has 

 befallen those in New Zealand and California. But the insect is 

 not at all particular in the choice of plants upon which to- make 

 its home, besides which it is extremely prolific, and, added to 

 this, it is said that its abundant waxy excretions protect it from 

 the action of insecticides. That this waxy substance is 

 abundant is readily seen by placing one of the insects on a piece 

 of glass, and heating it over a lamp, when nearly the whole of it 

 melts away." 



We are glad to receive intimation of the establishment of the 

 Field Naturalists' Society of New South Wales. We append the 

 list of officers who have been first elected : — Hon. president : 

 Dr. George Bennett, F.R.C.S.E., F.L.S., F.Z.S. ; president: 

 J. H. Maiden, F.L.S., F.C.S. ; vice-presidents : Dr. Henry A. 

 Ellis, M.B., Ch.B., John Brazier, F.L.S., CM.Z.S. ; hon. 

 treasurer: A. Sidney Oliff, F. E.S. ; hon. librarian: Thomas 

 G. Sloane ; hon. secretary : Frederick A. A. Skuse ; hon. 

 assistant secretary : Alfred Coates ; council: J. Carne, F.G.S., 

 W. W. Froggatt, A. J. Haynes, R. Helms, George Masters, 

 Thomas Whitelegge, F.R.M.S. With such an administration, the 

 society is sure to be a success. 



