George Perry was an eminent architect and amateur naturalist. His book depicts creatures from all over the world, including the first published depiction of a koala that was also called the New Holland sloth. The illustrations were based on specimens displayed in William Bullock's London Museum, rather than from life. This might account for the rather fierce look in the eyes of the koala.
Arcana was published in 21 parts and the State Library's copy is one of only eleven known complete copies.

Despite the book's obvious inaccuracies, there was a ready audience among European audiences for such works.

The Victoria and Albert Museum attributes Isaac Cruikshank as the artist of some of these images, with Thomas Lord Busby as both an engraver and an artist.

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