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The Insects of South Australia: 

 an Attempt at a Census. 



By Otto Teppee, Corresponding Member. 



Scientific knowledge concerning the Entomology of South 

 Australia appears to be in a considerably less satisfactory state 

 than in the other Australian provinces, to judge by the 

 researches of the President of this Society contained in the 

 Anniversary Address, and published in the " Transactions, &c, 

 of 1878." There is little or no scope to doubt that the facts 

 are as stated. Whatever the causes may be, there is certainly 

 a wide field open for individual and collective effort ere the 

 province will compare favorably in this respect with its neigh- 

 bours. They have splendid handbooks of their living and 

 extinct fauna and flora, well illustrated, and published at a 

 price within reach of all ; splendid public collections of speci- 

 mens properly arranged and named ; and information can be 

 obtained on any subject at a nominal fee — all through govern- 

 mental foresight. With us little of the kind is found, and 

 (sad experience compels me to say it) the most zealous amateur, 

 if not possessed of great connections and ample means, soon 

 ceases in his efforts, when he finds it next to impossible to 

 obtain the true name of any but the commonest natural object ; 

 for, without a name there is no real knowledge. How does he 

 know when he discovers anything new ? To aid progress he 

 must be able to advance by study to the very confines of what 

 is already known ; and this he can only accomplish by means 

 of proper public institutions, else he wastes his energies upon 

 work done over and over by others. The following short 

 review of South Australian insects contained in my private 

 collection is intended only as a small contribution towards 

 elucidating the subject. 



The enumeration of the genera and species is interspersed 

 with remarks about the habits, &c, of the most remarkable 

 ones, in order to make the subject less monotonous. 



Por more than twenty years some of my scanty leisure hours 

 have been devoted, among other kindred pursuits, to the obser- 

 vation and collection of insects in various localities within the 

 southern portion of this province, the outer limits being Mount 



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