Preface. 



We have written this book because of the lack 

 of an elementary text-book with sufficient detailed 

 work and classifications of insects to enable students 

 of Entomology to prepare for the study of higher 

 text-books and reference books. 



This book should fill in a gap between Gillies' 

 ''Insect Studies," Gladys Froggatt's ''World of 

 Little Lives," and the more advanced text-books. 



We have given some of the results of years of 

 observation, the working out of life histories, all 

 of which included field or laboratory work 

 or both. The field of Entomology is so vast that 

 such observations are necessarily limited, but we 

 have quoted, where possible, the results of other 

 workers. Our great hope is that this little book may 

 encourage new workers in the fields not yet explored. 



We wish to thank Mr. W. B. Gurney, F.E.S., 

 Assistant Government Entomologist, for helpful 

 suggestions when reading through the manuscript; 

 also Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc, B.E., F.E.S., for 

 reading through the Order Lepidoptera, especially 

 of Rhopalocera, and for the general reading through 

 of the manuscript. We are indebted to Dr. R. J. 

 Tillyard for helpful criticism and advice as regards 

 tlie Order Neuroptera and allied "Lace- wing" Or- 

 ders; also for the table of classification of such, as 



