The Butterflies of Ceylon

My notes on the butterflies of Ceylon were published in "Spolia Zeylanica" in 1918-19, and Dr. Pearson, the Director of the Colombo Museum, suggested that they should be revised and issued as a Museum publication. Since then I have spent two years in England, and have been able to examine the collections in the British Museum (Natural History), and to consult many books which were not available in Ceylon, with the result that the greater portion of the notes have been entirely rewritten. Unfortunately when the manuscript was ready for the printers, the Ceylon Government found that they were unable, for financial reasons, to carry out their scheme, and I am compelled to publish it without their assistance. The great work on Ceylon Butterflies in Moore’s "Lepidoptera of Ceylon", a copy of which is kept at most of the Kachcheries for the benefit of collectors. It was published more than 40 years ago, and a great deal has been learnt since then, and this book is only intended as a supplement, to bring it, as far as possible, up-to-date. Moore gives coloured plates of almost every butterfly then known, I therefore only illustrate those discovered since his work appeared.