Introduction. 



Of the natural history books available to us, 

 most of them dealing with insect life refer mainly 

 to European or American species. It is therefore 

 a pleasure to handle an Australian publication such 

 as this, describing and figuring Australian types, 

 and, furthermore, written by Australians. 



Since Froggatt's ''Australian Insects," now 

 out of print, there has been need for a small hand- 

 book on Australian insects and their habits, and 

 the following book presents an embracive, and yet 

 not too technical, treatment of this subject which 

 will be invaluable to school teachers and students 

 interested in Entomology. 



The three authors, some years ago, were 

 students in my course in Entomology at the Sydney 

 Technical College, and have since continued the 

 study of insect life with unswerving interest. Miss 

 Mabel Brewster has published several papers in the 

 ''Australian Naturalist" on the Hymenoptera. Miss 

 Crouch is lecturer in Nature Study at the Teachers' 

 Training College, and Miss A. Brewster, well known 

 as joint author with Miss Leplastrier of an Austra- 

 lian Botany, has been Science Teacher at the Girls' 

 High School, Sydney, for many years. 



Numerous illustrations, many of which are 

 original, have been provided. The external and in- 

 ternal structure of various insect types are dealt 



