PREFACE. 



reo'iilar numeration of these plates, which was caused by the original periodical 

 appearance of the work, whence it happens that we are referred to Part II. 

 plate 1. (as it may be), and not to a consecutive series of numbers upon the 

 l)lates, which were, indeed, entirely without a number, and appeared promis- 

 cuously. 



A German edition of this work was commenced at Leipzic in 1801, edited 

 by .1. G. Grubner, but I am not certain whether the entire work was repub- 

 lished or only one of the parts. 



Of the Entomology of China little more is known at the present time than 

 Donovan was acquainted with. It is true we continue to receive numerous 

 boxes of insects from China, chiefly purchased in the shops of Canton, but, 

 like every thing Chinese, there is such an absolute monotony in these arrivals, 

 that it is almost impossible to discover in a quantity of these boxes a single 

 species which is not contained in all the rest. It is evident that a considerable 

 employment is produced by the rearing of the Atlas moth and some other 

 species, and in the collection of the other insects which we receive in such 

 abundance. The Chinese boxes are made of a soft wood, about 16 inches by 

 1] in size, and of a suflicient depth to admit a tall needle; a layer of butter- 

 flies and moths stuck close to the point of the needle is placed at the bottom 

 of the box, with another layer of beetles, flies, &c. closely packed together and 

 stuck high up on the needles, the points of which are passed through the wings 

 of the butterflies forming the under layer. 



Donovan well observed that " the Chinese, like their neighbours the 

 Japanese, are well acquainted with the natural productions of their empire, 

 and Zoology and Botany, in particular, are favourite studies amongst them." 



That the Chinese also pay considerable attention to Entomology is evident, 

 not only from the fact of the employment of silk having had its origin in that 

 country, but also from the numerous beautiful drawings of insects upon rice 



