PREFACE. 



such illustrations as are ready, without systematic order or waiting 

 for the completion of any one branch. The many good ol)servers 

 in the country will thus have the means of accurately identifying 

 various natural objects, their observations on which, if i-ecorded and 

 sent to the National Museum, where the oiii^inals of all the fio-ures 

 and descrijjtions are preserved, will be duly acknowledged, and 

 will materially help in the prejjaration of the final systematic volume 

 to be published for each class when it approaches completion. 



This fifth Decade gives figures and descriptions in the first 

 plate of the largest of the Victorian Reptiles, the Lace Lizard, or 

 Coast Lizard, or Iguana as it is often called erroneously. 



The second plate figures, for the first time in the natural colors, 

 two of our more cui'ious Frogs, one remarkable for its habit of 

 burying itself underground during the day in waterless localities 

 to avoid the scorching rays of the sun, but coming on the surface 

 during the dewy nights, furnishing welcome food to the nocturnal 

 snakes of those regions. 



The third plate shows the characters of two of the moi-e 

 interesting Sharks of our coast. 



The fourth plate gives evidence of the identity of the Tunny 

 and the Barracouta of our waters with those of Europe and South 

 Afiica respectively. 



The fifth to the ninth plates continue the illustrations of our 

 Polyzoa, in which the Victorian waters are proving richer than 

 any other part of the world, and in which, as before, I have had 

 the assistance of my friend. Dr. MacGillivray, who has presented 

 all his specimens here described to the National Museum for 

 reference. 



The tenth plate illustrates the characters of two species of those 

 most interesting insects, the Cicadcp, one of them being the producer 

 of the Australian Mamia fi'om the Eucalyptus viviinalis, which it 



frequents. 



[4 ] 



