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Volume 34, Number 1
77
Bibliography of the Australian Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) 1773-1973 by M. S. Moulds. 1977. Australian Entomological Press, Greenwich, N. S. W., Australia. 239 pp. US $21.60.
Ever since the first sighting of a butterfly by Joseph Banks on the Australian continent in 1770 during Capt. Cook's first voyage, there has been a deep and abiding interest in Australia's endemic fauna. Along with the vast number of original descriptions, other major volumes have appeared, four in the last eight years. In 1932 Anthony Musgrave published the Bibliography of Australian Entomology, 1775-1930 through the Royal Entomological Society. Wisely, Maxwell Moulds in this present bibliographic work restricts the scope to butterflies and updates recent literature while adding some earlier works omitted by Musgrave.
This softback book is essentially divided into three main sections with a forward by I. F. B. Common. In the introduction Moulds outlines steps taken to compile this information which included a personal search through the literature to recheck original descriptions, punctuation, etc. He also chronicles a brief history of the Australian butterfly literature as well as the founding of various entomological societies.
The main section is simply titled "Bibliography" with references listed alphabetically by author's surname and with cross references in the case of more than one author. References for the author(s) are also listed chronologically by year with specific genera and species listed separately. New taxa are also indicated. Literature is cited only when the endemic taxa are discussed or in the case of taxa with a broad distribution, only when Australia is specifically mentioned. If some volumes have been reprinted, changes from the previous edition are indicated. The final section features a list of serial and journal abbreviations utilized.
When dealing within the confines of a bibliographic work, it is inevitable that some errors might surface, but I have found no major errors or omissions. There are a number of obscure references cited. However, in his effort to be as complete as possible, especially with the author's names, Moulds might have well been advised to have followed a more standardized format. There is, for example, a listing for the higher classification work on the Satyridae published in 1968 by Lee D. Miller. Moulds lists Dr. Miller's middle name as David, but it is actually a family name, Denmar. Thus this gives one a somewhat uneasy feeling about the credence of other middle names.
Despite this minor point, this bibliographic work is quite complete overall and a definite basic reference for all those interested in the Australian fauna.
Jacqueline Y. Miller, Allyn Museum of Entomology, 3701 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, Florida 33580.