FOREWORD 



The first requirement in undertaking any problem in Entomology, be it 

 of a systematic or an economic nature, is a comprehensive knowledge of the 

 literature on the subject. The working up of a more or less complete 

 bibliography, is then, one of the first essentials and is often a task requiring 

 considerable time, especially for workers who have only limited library 

 facilities. 



Some years ago, the author became interested in the family Buprestiade 

 and began keeping a card index to all articles and notes concerning species of 

 this family. In the course of a few years the card catalogue assumed such 

 proportion that it was put into manuscript form and an attempt was made 

 to make it as complete as possible from the library facilities at hand and by 

 borrowing such books as possible from other libraries. This task was com- 

 pleted early in 1917. Upon receiving a discharge from the army in New 

 York in 1919, the opportunity presented itself for further work in the large 

 libraries of the East. Through the hearty co-operation of the authorities of 

 the American Museum of Natural History, New York; Philadelphia Academy 

 of Science, Philadelphia; and the United States National Museum at Wash- 

 ington, it was possible to examine the large amount of literature which has 

 made this catalogue fairly complete. 



It has been the aim to include every reference in American and foreign 

 literature which mentions any species* of Buprestidae found in the United 

 State.?, Canada or Lower (Baja) California, to give the type locality as near 

 as possible, to indicate the distribution and follow this out with exact records 

 of capture and to list the known host plants. 



It is hoped that the present paper will lighten the task of those working 

 with this family and may lead some one who has access to the large col- 

 lections and types of the East to revise some of the genera which are so 

 badly in need of revision. 



^Complete bibliography of introduced sptecies is not given. 



