Lepidoptera Indica
Encyclopedia
Lepidoptera Indica was a 10 volume work on the butterflies of the Indian region that was begun in 1890 and completed in 1913. It was published by Lovell Reeve
and Co. of London. It has been considered the magnum opus of its author, Frederic Moore
, assistant curator at the museum of the East India Company. These collections were under the care of Dr Thomas Horsfield and upon the closure of this museum in 1879, were transferred to the British Museum. Moore in his preface defined the Indian region as being roughly bounded by the Himalayan mountains in the north, Suleiman and Hala mountains in the northwest, Ceylon to the South and Burma in the East and including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Moore however died before the work could be completed and the work was then taken over by Colonel Charles Swinhoe
, brother of Robert Swinhoe
and one of the founders of the Bombay Natural History Society
.
The butterfly collections that were described in this work, many of which were previously underscribed had been made by additions from numerous correspondents and collectors in the Civil and Military services from across India. The first catalogue of these collections was prepared by Arthur Grote
in 1857-1859. Grote also took notes on the life histories, making use of a Munshi Zynulabdin, a local artist. Moore also noted the contributions of Sir Walter Elliot
from the Madras region, S. Nevill Ward for notes from the Malabar coast, W. S. Atkinson
, A E Russell, Colonel A M Lang (Oudh, Kashmir, Simla), Captain T. Hutton (Mussoorie), Captain H. L. de la Chaumette (Lucknow), C. Horne, Dr Francis Day
, W. Forsyth Hunter, Major J. Le Mesurier, Major-Gen. G. Ramsay, Lt.-Col. H H G Godwin-Austin
(sic), Captain R. Bayne Reed, W. B Farr, G H Wilkinson, Dr. A. Leith, Dr. J. Shortt, Capt. H B Hellard, W C Hewitson
for material from the Atkinson collection, J. O Westwood
for material collected by R Hunter at Saugor, J. Anderson, James Wood-Mason
, Rev. J H Hocking, Mrs. F. A. de Roepstorff (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), A. Lindsay, G.A.J. Rothney, Colonel C. Swinhoe, Major J W Yerbury, Lionel de Niceville
, H J Elwes, Hon. L. W. de Rothschild, G F Hampson (Nilgiris). Moore also thanks W F Kirby
and A G Butler
of the British Museum for nomenclature and bibliographic help. He also thanks private collectors including W L Distant, Godman and Salvin, H. Druce, Henley Grose-Smith
and J J Weir, J H Leech
and P. Crowley.
The delineation and lithography for the first few volumes was done mainly by Moore's son F. C. Moore but later made use of other artists including John Nugent Fitch
and E. C. Knight.
Moore died in 1907 and from volume 7 the work was taken over by Colonel Charles Swinhoe
By the 8th volume, there were photographs of the genitalia of some species.
Lovell Augustus Reeve
Lovell Augustus Reeve was an English conchologist.Lovell Augustus Reeve was initially apprenticed to a grocer of Ludgate Hill between 1827 and '34...
and Co. of London. It has been considered the magnum opus of its author, Frederic Moore
Frederic Moore
Frederic Moore FZS was a British entomologist. It has been said that Moore was born at 33 Bruton Street but may be incorrect given that this was the address of the menagerie and office of the Zoological Society of London from 1826 to 1836.Moore was appointed an assistant in the East India Company...
, assistant curator at the museum of the East India Company. These collections were under the care of Dr Thomas Horsfield and upon the closure of this museum in 1879, were transferred to the British Museum. Moore in his preface defined the Indian region as being roughly bounded by the Himalayan mountains in the north, Suleiman and Hala mountains in the northwest, Ceylon to the South and Burma in the East and including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Moore however died before the work could be completed and the work was then taken over by Colonel Charles Swinhoe
Charles Swinhoe
Colonel Charles Swinhoe was an English naturalist and lepidopterist, who served in the British Army in India...
, brother of Robert Swinhoe
Robert Swinhoe
Robert Swinhoe FRS , was an English naturalist who worked as a Consul in Formosa. He discovered many Southeast Asian birds and several, such as Swinhoe's Pheasant, are named after him.-Biography:...
and one of the founders of the Bombay Natural History Society
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...
.
The butterfly collections that were described in this work, many of which were previously underscribed had been made by additions from numerous correspondents and collectors in the Civil and Military services from across India. The first catalogue of these collections was prepared by Arthur Grote
Arthur Grote
Arthur Grote was an English colonial administrator.-Life:He was born on 29 November 1814 at Beckenham in Kent, England. He was the son of George Grote , a London banker, and Selina Peckwell who was the daughter of the Rev. Dr Henry Peckwell and Bella Blosset of Co. Meath, from a well-connected...
in 1857-1859. Grote also took notes on the life histories, making use of a Munshi Zynulabdin, a local artist. Moore also noted the contributions of Sir Walter Elliot
Walter Elliot (ICS)
Sir Walter Elliot , Born in Edinburgh, studied at the East India College in Haileybury and joined the Indian Civil Service at Madras in 1821 and worked on till 1860....
from the Madras region, S. Nevill Ward for notes from the Malabar coast, W. S. Atkinson
William Stephen Atkinson
William Stephen Atkinson was a British lepidopterist who worked for much of his life in India.William was the eldest son of Rev. Thomas D, Atkinson, of Chesterton, in Suffolk. He became interested in nature at Cannock Chase, when his father became Vicar of Rugeley. He started collecting British...
, A E Russell, Colonel A M Lang (Oudh, Kashmir, Simla), Captain T. Hutton (Mussoorie), Captain H. L. de la Chaumette (Lucknow), C. Horne, Dr Francis Day
Francis Day
Francis Day CIE was Inspector-General of Fisheries in India and Burma and an ichthyologist.He was born on 2 March 1829 Maresfield, Sussex, UK third son of William and Ann Day. He became the medical officer in the Madras Presidency, East India Company services in 1852.Francis Day was created a...
, W. Forsyth Hunter, Major J. Le Mesurier, Major-Gen. G. Ramsay, Lt.-Col. H H G Godwin-Austin
Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen FRS FZS FRGS MBOU , was an English topographer, geologist and surveyor.The eldest son of Robert Alfred Cloyne Godwin-Austen, Godwin-Austen was born in Teignmouth...
(sic), Captain R. Bayne Reed, W. B Farr, G H Wilkinson, Dr. A. Leith, Dr. J. Shortt, Capt. H B Hellard, W C Hewitson
William Chapman Hewitson
William Chapman Hewitson was a British naturalist, born on 9 January 1806 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and died on 28 May 1878. A wealthy collector, this naturalist was particularly devoted to the Coleoptera and the Lepidoptera and, also, to bird's nests and eggs...
for material from the Atkinson collection, J. O Westwood
John Obadiah Westwood
John Obadiah Westwood was an English entomologist and archaeologist also noted for his artistic talents.Born in Sheffield, he studied to be a lawyer but abandoned that for his scientific interests....
for material collected by R Hunter at Saugor, J. Anderson, James Wood-Mason
James Wood-Mason
James Wood-Mason was a Scottish zoologist who worked in the Indian Museum at Calcutta from 1877 succeeding Prof. John Anderson. He made many collections of marine animals and lepidoptera.-Publications:...
, Rev. J H Hocking, Mrs. F. A. de Roepstorff (Andaman and Nicobar Islands), A. Lindsay, G.A.J. Rothney, Colonel C. Swinhoe, Major J W Yerbury, Lionel de Niceville
Lionel de Nicéville
Charles Lionel Augustus de Nicéville was a curator at the Indian Museum in Calcutta . He studied the butterflies of South Asia and wrote a three volume monograph on the butterflies of India, Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka.Born in a noble Huguenot family, his father was a physician. He was educated...
, H J Elwes, Hon. L. W. de Rothschild, G F Hampson (Nilgiris). Moore also thanks W F Kirby
William Forsell Kirby
William Forsell Kirby was an English entomologist and folklorist.He was born in Leicester. He was the eldest son of Samuel Kirby, who was a banker. He was educated privately, and became interested in butterflies and moths at an early age. The family moved to Brighton, where he became acquainted...
and A G Butler
Arthur Gardiner Butler
Arthur Gardiner Butler was an English entomologist, arachnologist and ornithologist...
of the British Museum for nomenclature and bibliographic help. He also thanks private collectors including W L Distant, Godman and Salvin, H. Druce, Henley Grose-Smith
Henley Grose-Smith
Henley Grose-Smith was an English entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.Grose-Smith described many new taxa of butterflies from his own collections and those of Walter Rothschild. His collections were sold to James John Joicey in 1910...
and J J Weir, J H Leech
John Henry Leech
John Henry Leech John Henry Leech John Henry Leech (5 December 1862- 29 December 1900, Salisbury was an English entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera.His collections from China , Japan and Kashmir are in the Natural History Museum , London.These contain also insects from...
and P. Crowley.
The delineation and lithography for the first few volumes was done mainly by Moore's son F. C. Moore but later made use of other artists including John Nugent Fitch
John Nugent Fitch
John Nugent Fitch , botanical illustrator and lithographer, best known for his contribution of 528 plates to The Orchid Album, a landmark work of eleven volumes published between 1872 and 1897. Fitch was the nephew of botanical artist Walter Hood Fitch .St Georg I. 1989 Botanical artists of New...
and E. C. Knight.
Volumes
- Volume 1 (1890–1892) Nymphalidae (Euploeinae and Satyrinae)
- Volume 2 (1893–1896) Nymphalidae (Elymniinae, Amathusiinae, Nymphalinae)
- Volume 3 (1896–1899) Nymphalidae (Nymphalinae continued)
- Volume 4 (1899–1900) Nymphalide (Nymphalinae continued)
- Volume 5 (1901–1903) Nymphalidae, Riodinidae, Papilionidae
- Volume 6 (1903–1905) Family Papilionidae & Pieridae
Moore died in 1907 and from volume 7 the work was taken over by Colonel Charles Swinhoe
Charles Swinhoe
Colonel Charles Swinhoe was an English naturalist and lepidopterist, who served in the British Army in India...
- Volume 7 (1905–1910) Subfamily Pierinae & Lycaenidae
By the 8th volume, there were photographs of the genitalia of some species.
- Volume 8 (1910–1911) Lycaenidae
- Volume 9 (1911–1912) Lycaenidae (continued), Hesperiidae
- Volume 10 (1912–1913) Hesperiidae