572 president's address. 



tions" (3 vols., 1837), and, in the preface, he gives the names of the purchasers 

 of some of the lots, and the prices paid, as an interesting record. Among those 

 given, Mr. Macleay was the purchaser of Lot 64, ''Papiliu claviger and five 

 others (£7/10/)"; Lot 104, "Thirteen species of the Buprestis genus (£8)"; 

 Lot 112, "Cetonia hamata, nitens^ grandis, Scarabaeus festivus, and 12 others 

 (£17)"; and Lot 123, "A variety of small insects of the Mordella, Forficula, and 

 other genera, among which are Diopsis lehneumonia, and also a species of 

 Paussus, 37 specimens (£7)." 



The first published reference to Alexander Macleay's collection, that I know 

 of, is to be found in the Preface to "An Epitome of the Natural History of the 

 Insects of New Holland, New Zealand, New Guinea, Otaheite, and other Islands 

 in the Indian, Southern and Pacific Oceans; with Descriptions and one hundred 

 and fifty-three beautifully-coloured Plates of the more splendid, beautiful, and 

 interesting Insects, hitherto discovered in those Countries," &c. : By E . Donovan, 

 F.L.S., published in 1805. Besides specimens in Sir Joseph Banks' collection, 

 and in his own, some of them purchased at the sale of Drury's Collection, "The 

 author has also further to acknowledge the benefit he has derived from inspecting 

 two other cabinets of celebrity in this country, without the assistance of which 

 the present illustration would have been far less copious and interesting than it is 

 at this time: these are the cabinets of Mr. FranciUon, and that of A. Macleay, 

 Esq., to both of whom he begs leave to express his warmest thanks for this testi- 

 mony of their friendship." The copy of this rare book in the Society's library 

 was purchased and presented by Sir William Macleay, the only copy of it which 

 he had seen. 



Another letter from A. Macleay to Kirby, dated 20th February, 1805, is of 

 very special interest. The writer says: "I have been describing eighteen Botany 

 Bay Lepidopterous insects which are about to be published by Lewin, with all 

 their changes and natural history. Amongst them there is a most distinct new 

 genus (in my opinion), which I propose to name Nycterobius from NuxTopoj3io<; 

 Noctu victum quaerens. The caterpillars form for themselves holes in 

 the trunks of trees, where they hide themselves in the daytime: at night, they 

 come out and gnaw off leaves, which they drag to their holes; and when they 

 have provided a sufficiency for the nest day's consumption, they retire and feed 

 leisurely, with their heads towards the mouth of the hole, which is covered by a 

 curious contrivance. . . . Pray when shall we see you in town?" 



The first edition of Lewin's book, entitled "A Natural History of the Lepi- 

 dopterous Insects of New South Wales. Collected, engraved, and faithfully 

 painted after Nature. By John William Lewin, A.L.S., late of Parramatta, New 

 South Wales. Illustrated with 18 Plates (small 4to)," was published in London 

 in the same year, 1805. Some time before its publication, however, a circular 

 entitled "Proposals for publishing by subscription a small work of Phatena In- 

 sects of New South Wales" had been distributed. A second edition, with an addi- 

 tional plate, was issued in 1822. The book was dedicated to the Right Hon. 

 Lady Arden, "in grateful remembrance of that goodness which gave the author 

 an opportunity of employing his talent, as it were, in a new world." As already 

 mentioned. Drury, Marshara, and Macleay also assisted Lewin. 



J. W. Lewin and Thomas Lewin were the sons of William Lewin, F.L.S. 

 (ob. c. 1795) . the "best zoological painter, and one of the most practical natural- 

 ists of his day" (Swainson), and author of "The Birds of Great Britain" (7 vols.. 



