424 



thus broken off and fall, and that the insects themselves are not so dis- 

 lodged, it has occurred to us that where the insect occurs in such enor- 

 mous numbers as here described, the collection of this white wax by 

 spreading a cloth under the trees and shaking them may prove to be 

 a matter of some economic importance, as the wax is absolutely pure, 

 and we should say of equal quality with the white Chinese wax secreted 

 hy Uricerus pela, hsLviug the advantage of not being mixed with the 

 bodies of the insects. If we owned an infested orchard in Alexandria 

 or Cairo we should at least mold our own wax candles. 



CHINESE WAX. 



Garden and Forest for January 28, 1891, contains a long review of 

 Mr. Alexander Hosiers " Three Years in Western China." In the course 

 of the review some mention is made of his investigation of the white- 

 wax industry of the plain of Chien-Chang. From the account it tran- 

 spires that the so-called insect tree of the Chinese is Ligustrum liicidum. 

 An account of the industry is given, which, while probably accurate, 

 enough from a practical standpoint, is undoubtedly incorrect from the 

 entomological point of view. 



The wax is said to be an excretion of the male only, and the entire 

 account is so confused, that if we had not already an accurate idea of the 

 history of these insects from the writings of older authors we should be 

 at a loss to place them in their proper group in the Homoptera. 



A NEW ZEALAND FROG-HOPPER. 



We have recently received from Mr. T. F. Cheeseman, Curator of the 

 Auckland Museum, specimens of Ricania discalis Walker,* a handsome 

 little Flatid, which Mr. Cheeseman writes has become exceedingly plen- 

 tiful around Auckland during the last 8 or 10 years. It occurs, accordin g 

 to his statement, on nearly all plants with long succulent shoots. The 

 common cultivated passion fruit is particularly liable to its attacks, and 

 the branches are often covered with it for several feet in length. He 

 states that when very numerous it is evidently harmful to the plants, 

 weakening them very much. 



THE GREEN BEETLE PEST IN AUSTRALIA. 



We have received, through the kindness of Mr. George H. Wallace, 

 U. S. Consul General of Melbourne, Australia, a communication from 

 Mr. C. French, F. L. S., Government Entomologist, relating to Diphu- 

 cephala colaspidioides Gyll. 



It appears from Mr. French's letter that this insect is becoming a 

 serious enemy to fruit grown within 10 miles of the seacoast. It is 

 described as a small green beetle about four lines in length, belonging 

 to the family Scarabseidse and subfamily Melolonthin^e and conse- 



* Kindly determined for us by Mr. P. R. Uhler. 



