Abstract
This is a useful little book intended for beginners taking up the study of Australian butterflies, with special reference to their life-history. Indeed, the author not only tells us in his preface that “much of the material in the way of life-histories is now published for the first time,” but also, “Only those species of which something is known of their life-history are included in the present volume.” Surely this last resolution is a double mistake. On the one hand it will be a great disappointment to any collector who meets with one of the purposely omitted species not to be able to discover from this book (perhaps the only one on the subject to be found within hundreds of miles) whether his find is known, or probably new; and, on the other, if attention had been directed to imperfectly known species, it would have largely conduced to efforts being made to supply the deficiencies in our knowledge. The book otherwise, however, seems to be very well executed, and is remarkable for being written almost entirely from Australian sources.
A Guide to the Study of Australian Butterflies.
By W. J. Rainbow. Pp. 272; illustrated. (Melbourne: T. C. Lothian, 1907.) Price 3s. 6d.
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K., W. A Guide to the Study of Australian Butterflies . Nature 77, 411 (1908). https://doi.org/10.1038/077411b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/077411b0