OTEODUCTION. xi 



forms of genera, so abundant in Indian species, is a fact which affords room for much 

 interesting comment. 



This is not tlic phicc in whicli to speak of Mr. Atkinson's career as a public officer. 

 His duties of superintending the Education Department in Bengal were highly interesting 

 to hinu and such as previous training well qualified him to discharge efficiently, ^^'hen 

 he left India on furlough in tlie early part of 1875, he hardly calculated on returning to that 

 country, and brought home with him his entire collections. He intended to remain in 

 England for three years, whether his term of office was renewed * by Government or other- 

 wise, and to devote his furlough to working out the new species which form the subject of 

 this pai)er. But before settling down to this task, he was advised to recruit his health by 

 an excursion on the Continent, and he resolved to spend his first winter in Italy. Tie 

 called on me in the autumn to announce his plans, and to inform me of an arrangement 

 which lie had fortunately been able to make for leaving undisturbed within Custom-House 

 limits the numerous cases containing his collections. lie was then in the best of spirits, 

 and dwelt much on the pleasant prospect of opening his cases on his return to England in 

 the spring. But this prospect was not to be realized. He was attacked by pneumonia at 

 Rome in January 1876, and died, after a few days' illness, on the loth of that month. 



It will be borne in mind that the figures here published represent but a small proportion 

 of the new species of Heterocera described by Mr. Moore, who, being limited to a certain 

 number of Plates, had necessarily to select the species to be reproduced in them, and who 

 has exercised his discretion wisely in figuring the more typical forms in each family. For 

 the Lithosiidse he has been able to dispense with figures altogether, as he has so recently 

 revised the family in a well-illustrated paper contributed to the Zoological Society in 

 January 1870, in which appear many of the forms of the Atkinson Collection. 



I have to acknowledge the assistance rendered to me by Mr. Stainton in kindly placing 

 at my disposal several letters addressed to him by Mr. Atkinson on his first arrival in 

 India. 



ARTHUR GROTE. 



London, Juhj 1S7L*. 



» This term was renewed, I learn from Mrs. Atkinsou ; but the orders of Government did not reach this country 

 till after his death. 



