Summary

This unpublished scientific illustration (No. II) depicts the life stages of the Coprosma Hawk-moth, Hippotion scrofa (as Scrofa Hawk Moth, Chaerocampa scrofa), from Studley Park near Melbourne, by Arthur Bartholomew, January to March, 1861.

Bartholomew illustrated the larva, pupa, adult moths, and the host plant, noting the date of each successive transition towards metamorphosis. When the perfect imago (adult insect) emerged, the species would be identified by William Kershaw, pinned and entered into the collection. The level of detail attained by Bartholomew in these illustrations makes them one of the most significant contributions to natural history illustration in colonial Australia. This illustration is annotated with pencil notes by Frederick McCoy and Bartholomew.

McCoy, the first Director of The National Museum of Victoria, presumably commissioned this work for a future plate in 'The Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria; Figures and descriptions of the living species of all classes of the Victoria indigenous animals'. Unfortunately, McCoy died before completing this enormous undertaking.

Bartholomew's illustration forms part of the much larger Prodromus Collection. Many of the original illustrations and prints in the collection informed the production of The Prodromus, the first major publication of the National Museum of Victoria. Between 1878 and 1890, McCoy published his zoology 'Prodromus' as 20 parts in two volumes, with each part comprising 20 plates. Unfortunately, almost 90 plates in the collection remain unpublished, and hundreds of illustrations were either not completed or not printed.

Description of Content

Coprosma Hawk Moth, Hippotion Scrofa, by Arthur Bartholomew. Illustration - Pencil, water colour and varnish on paper 25 cm x 15 cm. Unpublished illustration, No. II, commissioned by Frederick McCoy as part of his zoological research.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria

  • Collecting Areas

    Scientific Art & Observation

  • Artist

    Arthur Bartholomew, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

  • Technique

    Scientific illustration

  • Support

    Paper

  • Drawing Number

    II (2)

  • State

    Illustration

  • Primary Inscriptions

    Colour green in first stage / black second stage and brown third stage.

  • Secondary Inscriptions

    hind foot

  • Tertiary Inscriptions

    Imago from larva in / cabinet. (Also illegible notes on right hand bottom corner. Probably Kershaws' notes) - April 1873 the larva of this Moth is more plentiful this season / than I have seen it before feeding on the leaves of the / common english Dock and very varied in colour at all stages. /(The green is as (...) as the other (...) mainly black with converse marks.

  • Classification

    Scientific artwork, Illustration and notes, Paper

  • Taxon Name

    Hippotion scrofa

  • Author and date of publication

    (Boisduval, 1832)

  • Preferred Common name

    Coprosma Hawk-moth

  • Kingdom

    Animalia

  • Phylum

    Arthropoda

  • Subphylum

    Hexapoda

  • Class

    Insecta

  • Order

    Lepidoptera

  • Superfamily

    Sphingoidea

  • Family

    Sphingidae

  • Subfamily

    Macroglossinae

  • Genus

    Hippotion

  • Species Name

    scrofa

  • Category

    Natural Sciences

  • Discipline

    Scientific Artwork

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Framed

    848 mm (Width), 648 mm (Height)
    Art of Science, 2 items in single frame: PZD 2 & PZD 299

  • Overall Dimensions

    25 cm (Width), 15 cm (Height)

  • Exhibition Collection Management

    155 mm (Width), 255 mm (Height)

  • Maximum dimensions

    253 mm (Width), 154 mm (Height)
    Measurement From Conservation. width 154-156 [irreg.]

  • Maximum dimensions

    155 mm (Width), 253 mm (Height)
    Measurement From Conservation.