PREFACE. 



In issuing this first volumo of 'Aid,' I wish to call attention to 

 the following sentence in my Prospectus, viz : — " There v/ill he a 

 Systematic Index, together with such remarks on the insects as may 

 appear absolutely necessary, but the Editor is anxious to avoid adding 

 to the already voluminous Entomological Literature ; the present 

 work being intended to elucidate that which has been already written." 

 I mention this for the reason that some persons have wished that 

 the Plates were accompanied by Letter-press or descriptions. To 

 reproduce all the original descriptions would have added so greatly to 

 the expense of producing the work, that it would have been impossible 

 to have given the number of Plates at the small price now asked ; 

 and extracts from descriptions so frequently lead to error that I 

 have determined in every case to refer to the original works for all 

 information. In preparing the Plates, however, a few notes on some 

 of the species have (as I anticipated) appeared to me to be necessary, 

 and these I give at the end of the Systematic Index. 



With the exception of Plates 1, 4, 16, 17, 20, 23, 27, 31, 32, 42, 

 48, 59, 61, 89 and 98, all the figures are taken from original types. 

 Plate 18 is figured from the type in the University Museum at Oxford. 

 Plates 30, 37, 39, 47, 70 and 97, are from types in the Museum of the 



