PEEFACE TO PAET III. 



The Third Part of " The Handbook of the Destructive 

 Insects of Victoria " has been prepared on similar lines 

 to those indicated in the preface to Parts I. and 11. 



As the work of publishing a complete account of the 

 many pests to which our plants are subjected progressed, 

 it was found almost impossible to adhere strictly to the 

 former plan of bringing the insects attacking various 

 fruit trees together, as new pests are continually making 

 their appearance, which necessitates the more important 

 kinds being dealt with first. 



The large demand for the two previous parts points to 

 the conclusion that the " work " is welcomed by those 

 engaged in rural pursuits, in whose interest it has been 

 prepared, and, by permission of the Victorian Department 

 of Agriculture, Part IV., the plates for which are nearly 

 ready, will be published as soon as possible, and as the 

 work is not written for scientific entomologists, analysis 

 of the parts of the various insects figured Jias not been 

 given. 



In the present Part, plates and descriptions of many of 

 the most valuable of our insect-destroying birds are 

 given, and it is hoped that these will be appreciated by 

 those interested, and these will be added to in Part IV. 



