1T O D IT C T I O 
The first butterllies recorded from Australia 'were those captured by Sir Joseph Ihuiks at Botany 
Bay, Bustard Head and Endeavour Biver (Cooktowii). Tiicsc were named and describod by Eabricius 
ill 1775 and the types are still in the British Museum, In 1805, in Ins Insects of New Holland,'^ 
Donovan gave short descilptious with coloured plates of some of these same butterllies, as well as 
of othors obtained from Alox. Macleay, M. Francillon and William Jones of Chelsea: unfortunately 
several species from other countries, including two or three fi’om Norfolk Island, were wrongly 
described as Austx*alian in this work. In 1827 W. S. Macleay gave a list of the then known 
Australian butterflies, together with descriptions of several new ones taken by Captain King during 
his survej’ journeys along the eastern and nortliern coasts. The activity of France in sending 
scientihe expeditions to the Faciiic resulted in the discovery of other species: Boisduval, writing 
of the Astrolabe expedition in 1S32, published a **Monograph , upon the Lepidoptera of the Pacific,” 
wliich mentioned almost all the known butterflies of Australia: the illustrations published by Guei’iu 
in 1821) in connection with the voyage of the Coquillo, added yet other species. 
In 18G4 Scottfolios of ^‘Australian Lepidoptera” with liand-coloured plates, began to make 
their appearance: they were discontinued, but in later years some further parts Avere published by 
the Australian Museum, with Ollifl as editor. Kirby's Catalogue of 1871 included Australian butter¬ 
llies, and a feAV years later (1874) Masters published his “Catalogue of Australian Butterflies,” 
listing 2G0 species. In 1878 Semper provided an excellent list of the 204 Australian species in the 
Godeffro 3 ’ collection. Ploetz in his “Monograph of the llespcridae” in 1884 gave a number of 
descriptions of Australian Ilesperids, but his methods were so involved that, until his unpublished 
drawings quite recently became available, only a few of his species could be accurately determined. 
Hewitson luid meanwhile been receiving butterflies fi'om his Australian collectors and 
correspoudeiits, and describing them (1S4G-1875) in various scientific journals j and a number cajDtured 
by the Austrian expedition in the Novara Avere described by Felder in 1SG5. The British Museum hud 
also from time to time received butterflies from Australia, and these had been described by A. G. 
Butler (18G6-1898) : this writer announced his intention of publishing an account of the butterflies 
of Australia, but did not carry through his proposal. 
Since 1885, with but fcAv exceptions, the description of Australian butterflies has remained 
entirely in Australian hands, the pioneer in this direction being W. II. Miskin who made kuoAvn 
quite a number of ncAv species. Olliff of the Australian Museum published Australian Butterflies 
in 1889: this Avas a small Avork of a popular character giving good illustrations of a few of the 
better knoAvn species. In 1891 Miskin's Synouymical Catalogue Avas published by the Queensland 
Museum, recording 248 sj^ecies and giving descriptions of a fcAv new ones. Anderson and Spry in 
“Victorian Butterllies” illustrated in 1893 Avith admirable Avoodciits the 69 species then recorded from 
the southern State. In 1902 Meyrick and Lower published, in the Transactions of the Royal Society 
of South Australia, a Ke\'isiou of the Australian llesperidae^ and tliis was rcAUsed and supplemented 
by LoAver in 1911. In 1902 and 1903 the Proceedings of the Limiean Society of N. S. Wales gave 
a Revision of the Australian Lycaenulae by Waterhouse; and in 1903 a “Catalogue of the Rhopaloecra 
of Australia” by the same author, and recording 329 species, Avas printed by the N. S. Wales 
Naturalists' Club. Finally in 1908 RainboAv published his “Guide to the Study of Australian 
Butterflies,” Avhich deals chiefly with the early life stages, but also gives the author s diaAvings of 
some of the perfect insects. 
