]^0 3«] White Insect Wax in India. 98 



But even in the event of the flocculent appendages being found in some 

 cases to contain wax, the quantity in which they occur is so small that 

 they can be of no practical value ; and the only reason for calling attention 

 to them in this notice is owing to the fact that the sugary secretion, 

 which is produced in considerable quantities by the insect, is liable to be 

 confounded with the flocculent matter with which the larvae are clothed. 

 The scarcity of the White Wax Insect in India is remarkably illustrated 

 by the material which has recently been collected by the officers of the 

 Forest Department. This material, which has been forwarded to the 

 Indian Museum, consists of four specimens, three of them connected with 

 Phromnia marginella, while the fourth specimen is the only one which 

 represents the White Wax Insect, and even it comprises only about a score 

 of individuals, which would altogether yield but a minute quantity of 

 the wax. 



Phromnia marginella is so entirely different, both in its habits and 

 appearance, from the White Wax Insect, Ceroplastes ceriferus that it is 

 easy in most cases to make out which of the two species is referred to 

 in the papers which have been published on the subject. In order, there- 

 fore, to prevent further confusion between the two insects, they are both 

 included in the following resume, which is accordingly arranged under 

 the headings of Ceroplastes ceriferus and Phromnia marginella. 



The specimens of Ceroplastes ceriferus that have been forwarded to 



<n . m ™ ^x-c™™™ the Museum in connection with this inves- 



Ceeopiastes cebieertts. 



tigation consist of about a score 1 of scales 

 found by Mr. W. P. Thomas, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Hoshanga- 

 l>ad, Central Provinces. Mr. Thomas found them in February 1889 on 

 one of the hill spurs of the Panchmari range near Mogra, on saplings of 

 terminalia chehula, Buchanania latifolla, and Terminalia tomentosa, 2 

 and he reports that the insect was very scarce and only found after long 

 search, while the natives knew nothing at all about it. The wax has 

 been kindly examined by Mr. T. H. Holland, who reports on it as 



follows : — 



"The wax occurs on the twigs in small mounds of dull, buff colour and puckered 

 surface, apparently from drying. Under the thin crust the material is light pink in 

 colour and presents a waxy lustre, with, also, a pleasant smell. 



" The wax melted at 140° F. (60° C.) to a clear liquid, and, on cooling, produced 

 microscopic, spherulitic growths of radially arranged, polarising crystals. 



"About 20 per cent, of the material dissolved in cold absolute alcohol ; but it was 

 almost completely soluble in boiling alcohol, from which it is again precipitated as a 



1 Of these three have been preserved in the collections of the Indian Museum for 

 reference. 



2 The leaves sent with the specimens have been kindly examined by Dr. D. Prain, who 

 identifies them as belonging to the species Buchanania latifolia, Eoxb., and Terminally 

 chehula, Roxb. 



