PREFACE. 



THE following Synopsis of the Neuroptera of North America 

 has been prepared in accordance with the desire of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, and contains all the known species found hitherto in 

 the United States, in the English and Russian colonies, Mexico, 

 Central America, and the West Indies. Many species described 

 originally as belonging to the last-named countries, may hereafter 

 be found in the southern parts of the United States. 



The materials upon which the Synopsis has been based are the 

 following: 



1. Species furnished by the Smithsonian Institution, chiefly 

 Odonata, collected by Capt. J. Pope, U. S. A., on the Pecos River, 

 Western Texas (lat. 32, long. 104), by Dr. Berlandier and Lt. 

 Couch, U. S. A., at Matarnoras, and by Dr. Engelmann at St. 

 Louis. 



2. The very numerous species collected by Baron Osten Sacken 

 in different parts of the United States, particularly at Washington, 

 at Trenton Falls, at Savannah and Dalton in Georgia, at Berkeley 

 Springs in Virginia, in Florida, in Cuba, on the St. Lawrence 

 River, and at Chicago. 



3. A considerable number of Odonata, collected by Mr. Abbot 

 in Georgia, and furnished by the late Mr. Escher-Zollickofer of 

 Zurich. 



4. A considerable number of Odonata, collected by the late Mr. 

 Guex at Bergen Hill in New Jersey, and communicated by Prof. 

 Schaum of Berlin. 



5. A considerable number of Neuroptera from California, Ma- 

 ryland, Illinois, and North Red 'River (from Mr. Robert Kenni- 

 cott), furnished by Mr. P. R. Uhler of Baltimore. 



6. Some species collected in Florida by Mr. Norton, and at 

 New York by Mr. Calverly. 



