314 THE entojiologist's record. 



Messrs. Durraut, Kirby and Prout liavu bucn mainly responsible. The 

 Original description is in the original language in which it was 

 written l)y the iirst describer of the species, and that of every insect 

 described (with one exception) has been obtained. A student, there- 

 fore, can at once determine critically the insect that the author of any 

 name had before him. The Variation of each species is dealt with 

 (1) by a general survey of the various forms presented by the insect 

 here and abroad, (2) by a tabulated summary of the chief forms, (3) by 

 a translation or quotation of the original description of each named 

 form (in small type), with critical review of its main features. For the 

 Egg, Larva and Pupa, the help of Dr. Chapman, Mr. Bacot and other 

 specialists has been requisitioned (and Mr. Fenn's note-books have been 

 kindly placed at the author's disposal). The Food-plants have been 

 compiled from reliable British and Continental authors (and authorities 

 are given). The Time op Appearance gives an accumulation of actual 

 dates spread over many years, and compiled from more than 200 lists, 

 supplied by collectors in various parts of the country, besides every 

 record the author has observed in British and Continental magazines. 

 The Localities (British) are arranged in counties, each place having 

 the name of the observer responsible for it, following it in brackets. 

 (No l)ook published in this country has ever shown such a mass of 

 information as is compiled under this and the two preceding headings, 

 and tlie amount of labour in ol^taining reliable data has been enormous.) 

 The Distribution is not a mere translation of that in Staudinger's 

 Catalog, but has been compiled by taking the most authoritative lists 

 for each country in which the species has been found, and the authority 

 himself is quoted for his own localities. Here the author is specially 

 indebted to Messrs. Durrant, Kirby and Front. 



The chapters on any superfamily in which there are well-known 

 experts have been submitted to them — Lord Walsingham, Dr. Chapman, 

 Mr. Durrant, Mr. W. H. B. Fletcher, ]\L Oberthiir, Dr. Wood and 

 others have been good enough to read the proofs, and make suggestions 

 as to the groups in which they are specially interested. By this means 

 an attempt has been made to reduce errors (unavoidable with so much 

 detail) to a minimum. 



The volume will consist when complete of more than 500 solid 8vo. 

 pages, the descriptive tables, diagnoses, synonymy and localities being 

 in small type. It will be complete in itself, and each superfamily 

 dealt with will be a complete monograph so far as relates to 

 British insects. Much of the information is condensed iuto the 

 least possible limits, so as to economise space, and the above 

 sketch ofthe method of the book shows that, whilst the purely technical 

 portion of the book is as advanced and complete as our present know- 

 ledge admits, yet the general and exact data relating to Variation, 

 Food-plants, Time of Appearance, Localities and Distribution, render 

 it a work of the highest value to the field naturalist who does his own 

 collecting. In fact, it is to the scientific field naturalist that the book 

 appeals, rather than to any other class of entomologists. 



The book was offered to two publishers, either of whom would 

 have published it, if the author would have made it more popular. 

 As the author had no intention of doing this, he at once communicated 

 with some of his own immediate entomological friends, and their kind 

 response determined him at once to take the risk of publication. To 



