PREFACE. 



only been described from preserved specimens. A Prodromus, or 

 preliminary issue, in the form of Decades, or numbers of ten plates, 

 each mth its complete descriptive letterpress, will be published, of 

 such illustrations as are ready, without systematic order or waiting 

 for the completion of any one branch. The many good observers 

 in the country will thus have the means of accurately identifying 

 various natural objects, their observations on which, if recorded and 

 sent to the National Museum, where the originals of all the figures 

 and descriptions are preserved, will be duly acknowledged, and 

 ^ill materially help in the preparation of the final systematic volume 

 to be published for each class when it apj^roaches completion. 



The tenth Decade completes the first volume of the Prodromus 

 of the Zoology of Victoria. A systematic index is given according 

 to which the plates with their corresponding letterpress may be 

 bound in zoological order, all the illustrations of each class being 

 put together by those who desire it. Those who prefer to liind 

 the plates and corresponding letterpress in the order of their 

 original appearance, and as the plates are consecutively numbered, 

 can do so, bringing the prefaces together at the front. An 

 alphabetical index is also given of the contents ; the generic, 

 specific, and popular names being included, as well as the 

 synonyms, which are in italics. 



Frederick McCoy. 

 12th January, 1885. 



