ILLUSTRATIONS OF LEPIDOPTERA BRING IMPRINTS OF IMPRESSIONS. 69 



Natural History of the Insects of China (London, 1798) form most 

 brilliant designs. 



The finest figures of British lepidoptera, are those of John Curtis 

 in British KntoinohKiii (London, 1823-89). The effect of the plates is 

 immensely heightened by the introduction of some beautifully painted 

 botanical specimens. Many of the figures by C. M. Curtis in Stephens' 

 Illmtrations of British /'jntoinoloi/i/ (1828-46) are good, but his drawing 

 is better shown in Horsfield's Catalof/ue of the Lepidoptera in the East 

 India Cowpaw/s Museum (1828). In the Schmetterlinf/s Kalender, 

 published at Frankfort (1830), by Schott, the figures are so badly 

 coloured that it is to be hoped they may ever be considered the 

 worst of any age. 



With regard to the figures the two best works of Boisduval are the 

 lennes Historiqiies drs Lepidojitercs and the CoUection icononrapJiique des 

 Chenilles, both published m Paris, and dated 1832. The first is very 

 fair and the latter useful on account of the great number of larvae 

 represented. Amongst the best figures of the so-called microlepidoptera, 

 must be mentioned those of Fischer Edler von Eoeslerstamm in his 

 Ahbildunyen, &c. (Leipzig, 1834-43). These are so much in the same 

 style as the figures of Herrich-Schafter, in his Si/steinatische Bear- 

 beitumi der Schinetterlim/e von Europa (Regensburg, 1843-56), that the 

 same remarks will apply to both. As the drawing is sharp without 

 being hard and the colouring clear though ample, the figures have a 

 very neat appearance. Herrich-Schiiffer's figure 418, showing the 

 underside of Ari/ynnis alexandra, is a masterpiece. His figures of the 

 ColeopJiorae are particularly interesting, as enlarged draAvings of the 

 wings and basal portions of the antennte, as well as figures of the larval 

 cases, are given. This tine work must be considered as one of the 

 gems of entomological literature. J. 0. Westwood published a great 

 number of illustrations both in popular and more scientific works. 

 The gorgeous designs in the Cabinet of Oriental Ento)noloiiy and in the 

 Arcana (1845), remind one in their richness of Donovan. 



Stainton, of happy memory, gives us some beautiful plates in his 

 Natural History of the Tineina (London , 1855-72) . The larvffi, especially, 

 are noteworthy and the figures showing how they attack their special 

 pabula, are of great use to the field naturalist. In Insecta Britannica, 

 vol. iii., by this author, is a beautiful plate by W. Wing, of larvseof the 

 Tineina. After wading through the plates of Godart, Duponchel, 

 Berce, and even Boisduval (Rambur is more interesting) it is 

 very refreshing to come upon a Avork of such rare artistic merit as 

 that of Milliere. In his three volumes, Iconoijraphie et Description de 

 Clienilles et Lepidopteres inedits (Paris, 1859, &c.), we find once more a 

 labour of love, and there is a richness in the beautiful designs for which 

 we have looked almost in vain smce the days of Sepp. The earlier 

 plates are not so good as the later, but this is apparently the fault of 

 the engraver and not that of the artist. The special talents of Milliere 

 shine brightest in the figures of the smaller moths ; plate xlvi., 

 depicting Tortrix pronuhana and Acrolejda s m ila. r ella v^'ith a spray of 

 Suiilax, is a charming example of his delicate work ; plate ex., dated 

 1870, shows various species of the genus Eupithecia. The fineness of 

 the markings and the clearness of the colour of these exquisite little 

 moths is represented with marvellous truth. While Milliere was raising 

 the standard of entomological art in France, Snellen van Vollenhoven 



