Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/450

WAXES. as an admixture with commercial stearic acid, cerasin, and paraffin, for the purpose of raising their melting-points. BiBLioGKAPiiY. Sedna, Das Wachs und seine icchnisrhe Veniemhinri (Vienna, 1886) ; Schaed- ler. Die Untersiichung der Fette, Oele und Wachsarten (Leipzig, 1898) ; Alder Wright, Oils, Fats, and Waxes (London, 1804) ; Benedikt, Commercial Analysis of Oils, Fats, and Waxes (trans, by Lewkowitsch, London, 1895) ; Allen, Commercial Organic Analysis (Philadelphia, 899). See Beeswa-K; Fats; Oils; Estebs.

WAX-INSECT. A name for two or more scale-insects, but also equally applicable to sev- eral other insects. Ericerus peki. called by the Chinese lah-shoo, which makes the so-called Chi- nese white wax, is found about the beginning of June on the branches of an ash {Fruxiniis Si- nensis) and certain other trees. It has long been cultivated in C'liina for its wax, which is used chiefl}' in caniUe-making. although the in- dustry has declined since the introduction into China of kerosene oil. Though little is known of the insect, it is altogether likely the females produce larger quantities than the winged males, which are popularly reputed to be producers. It is said that the wax is scraped off of the branches toward the end of August, melted with boiling water, and strained through cloth. The insect has been introduced into Algeria by the French. The East Indian wax-insect {Ceroplastes ccri- ferus), which is found on Celastrus ceriferus and other trees, is rather rare and has not been used commercially. Its wax is not altogether suitable for candle-making, as both the wax itself and its mixtures with olive oil burn with a dim, smoky liglit. and give out a resinous odor. The wax. which is reputed medicinal, is sweet when fresh and is eaten by children.

Two American scale-insects, the barnacle scale {Ceroplastes cirripediformis) and Ceroplastes Floridcnsis. are known as wax-scales. Xo com- mercial use has been made of their wax. Nearly all of the CoccidiE secrete wax in varj'ing pro- portions, most of them only in small amounts. Several species of the genus Icerya, however, secrete large quantities. In Icerya .Egyptiacinii and Icerya Montserratensis wax is secreted to form the egg-sac and also in long filaments which so readily lireak off that a jar or a shake of a badly infested tree will bring down the wax in quantity. In the genits Pulvinaria also white wax is secreted for the protection of eggs.

Certain of the lantern-flies (q.v.) of the fam- ily Fulgoridie secrete large (|uantities of a white flocculent wax, and in tropical America the small lantern-dies of the genus Phenax fly about with lar"e masses of this waxy substance sometimes twice as long as their bodies. This fulgorid wax is said to be used in Cliina for candles, etc. The larva; of an East Indian species {Fliromnia mar- ginellu) are covered with masses of white wax which is secreted by small glands distributed over the abdomen.

Various plant-lice or aphids (q.v.), especially the genera Pemphigus, Chermes, and Schizonetira, also secrete white wax from glands which replace the honey-tubes. One species (Lachnus longis- tigma) infests certain coniferous trees in the TJnited States, and when abundant the insects may be scraped off and sifted to obtain the wax. Some of the Psyllida; also produce waxen threads. Certain caterpillars secrete wax, as the larva; of one of the Tortricidae (lictinia resinella) and of a butterflj' (Parnassius apollo) ; the bodies of cer- tain sawdj- larva; are covered with a white, powdery, waxen secretion, in one case (genus Se- landria) nearly concealing the body. The wax in all of these insects is secreted by small one- celled skin-glands which in the Hemiptera are distributed nearly all over the body, but in the bees ai'e restricted either to the under or upper side of the end of the abdomen. See Bee

WAX-MOTH, or Hoxey-Moth. See Bee, paragraph Winter Life and Enemies.

WAX-MYRTLE. See Candlebeery,

WAX-SHRUB. See Caxdleberry.

WAXWING, or Chatterer. Any bird of the genus Auipelis, of the passerine family Am- pelidfe, characterized by having a short, straight, elevated bill, with a very wide gape, as in the fiy-catchers, but without bristles: both mandibles notched at the tip; the wings rather long, broad, and pointed : the legs short. The genus Ampelis is peculiar in having many of the shafts of the wing-quills tipped with a horny material re- sembling red sealing-wax. The three species are widely diffused over northern regions and are much alike. One, the Bohemian waxwing [Am- pelis garrulus), inhabits the Arctic regions, breeds to near the limit of timber growth, and makes its nest in a tree long before the winter snows have melted. It migrates southward in winter, and in severe seasons reaches the United States, but always irregularly and at long in- tervals. It feeds on insects and worms, seeds, berries, and other fruits. It is a handsome bird, nearly as large as a thrush ; is reddish gray, with a black patch on the throat, and a black band on the forehead; the tail-coverts brownish orange; the primaries, secondaries, and tail-feathers tipped with yellow, two white bands on the wings : the lower parts silvery gray. The head is surmounted by an erectile crest of brownish orange feathers. The song of the waxwing is a weak whistling, bearing a little resemblance to that of the thrush. It is easily tamed. The more common American waxwing, 'cherry- bird,' or 'cedar-bird' {Ampelis cedrornm), is a very similar but smaller species, found from Canada to Central America, less inigratory, and never visiting Arctic regions. The general color is purplish cinnamon in front and asli-color be- hind: the chin, forehead, and a stripe through the eye black; no white on the wings: the belly yel-

HEAI) AND WIXO OF A WAXWING.

rii^nd of Cednr-bircl (Ampt'Iis rt'dmrnw); winpr of Bam© Bhowing the ' seallug-wax ' tips of the secoudaries. low. fading into white on the under tail-coverts. It is crested, dreat flocks of cedar-birds collect in the end of summer. They feed on cherries and garden berries, and are particularly fond of those of the red cedar, but they eat seeds and in-