1843.] and the White Wax of China. 903 



are as big as a walnut, and that those nests are the abdomens of females, 

 filled with the eggs which are to give birth to the cocci, which when 

 hatched, disperse themselves over the leaves and perforate the bark 

 under which they retire," and that the wax is afterwards "perceived 

 rising from the bark round the body of the insect, (vide Kirby and 

 Spence, vol. 1. p. 327.) Now as already stated above, the eggs of 

 F. limbata are deposited in the branches of the tree, the bark of which 

 is perforated or punctured all round quite closely in longitudinal 

 rows to the length of about one inch ; their presence being indicat- 

 ed by a very slight intermescence of the wounded parts. When 

 the larva are hatched they come forth from beneath the bark, and clus- 

 ter in hundreds around the stems and twigs, living thenceforward 

 unconcealed, and depositing a liquid shower upon the leaves beneath 

 their resting places, which as it hardens in the air, assumes a wax-like 

 appearance, and eventually becomes pure white like hoar frost, when it 

 cracks and falls to the ground in pieces of various size and thickness, 

 and is soon incorporated with the dust. 



From all these statements, therefore, we arrive at the positive con- 

 clusion, that as this deposit will neither melt on the fire per se, nor 

 combine with oil, it cannot be the substance from which the famous 

 white wax of China is formed ; and we are led to perceive from the 

 difference in the habits of the larva of Flata limbata, and that of the 

 insect mentioned by the Abbe Grosier, that the wax is rather the pro- 

 duce of a species of coccus than of the larva of Flata limbata, or even 

 of the allied F. nigricornis. 



Specimens of the wax are sent for analysis ; — 



No. 1. The crude fresh wax as gathered from the leaves. 



No. 2. Is the wax after drying from exposure to the air. 



No. 3. Is the deposit of crystals on the cooling of No. 1 . Dissolved 

 on the fire with water. 



No. 4. Is a specimen of " Flata limbata." 



Should the wax, after analysis, be found of any use, either medici- 

 nally or otherwise, it can be collected in considerable quantity from 

 January till June. Thomas Hutton, Captain, 



Mussooree, \5th August, 1843. Bengal Army. 



