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XYII. A Preliminary List of the Butterflies of 'Hong- 
Kong ; based on Observations and Captures made 
during the Winter and Spring Months of 1892 
and 1893. By James J. Walker, R.N., F.L.S. 
[Read May 1st, 1895.] 
ALTHOuaH Hong-Kong lias been a British Colony for 
more than half-a-century, its occupation by England 
dating from the year 1841, it is not a little remarkable 
that, while a most admirable Flora of the island was 
published twenty years later,* scarcely anything appears 
to be known respecting its insect fauna, of which no 
general collection, so far as I am aware, has been as yet 
brought together. The butterflies especially, though 
sufficiently numerous in species and attractive to the 
collector, seem to have been almost entirely overlooked 
by those naturalists to whom we owe our present know- 
ledge of the fauna of south-eastern China. No doubt 
many collections of these insects have been made by 
mihtary officers stationed at Hong-Kong, as well as by 
other European residents ; but of these very few, if any, 
have been made available for scientific treatment by 
finding their way into the leading museums and collec- 
tions at home. 
Mr. H. J. Elwes, in his important paper, The Butter- 
flies of Amurland, North China, and Japan (Proc. Zool. 
Soc. 1881, pp. 856 et seq.), has summed up the state of our 
knowledge of the Bhopalocera of South China at that 
time. " Our knowledge of the butterflies is infinitesimal. 
It is extraordinary that out of the great number of 
Englishmen who for nearly a century have resided at 
various ports on the coast of China, not one has ever 
studied Lepidoptera scientifically, and no traveller has 
ever collected more than a few specimens in any one 
place, so far as I am aware. Nearly as much was known 
Bentham's " Flora Hongkongensis." London : 1861. Supple- 
ment by Dr. Hance, 1872. 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1895. — PART IV. (DEC.) 
