PREFACE TO VOL. VII, 



We have, on the completion of another vohime, to tender once 

 again our warmest thanks both to our subscribers and contributors. 



The 12 numbers comprising this vohime have been issued in eight 

 months. The contents, we venture to think, will bear comparison 

 with those of any previous volume, and, in spite of the frequency of 

 our publication, two double numbers have had to be issued to clear oft" 

 accumulations of material. 



The publication of the Magazine, however, more frequently than 

 once a month, has not, as one would have supposed, been univer- 

 sally approved, and after the completion of the next volume (i.e., 

 Avhen a new volume commences with the new year) it is our present 

 intention to revert to the monthly issue. At the same time we are 

 very grateful to those who have written so kindly and asked us to 

 reconsider this decision. Amongst others, Sir Archibald Buchan- 

 Hepburn writes : — " I regret to see in the last number of the Kntnm. 

 Record that you propose to revert to the original monthly publication. 

 This you will no doubt agree with me in considering a retrograde 

 step ; one great advantage of the present mode is that notices, etc., 

 are kept up to date. . . . The more often the publication is put into 

 my hands (and I am sure this is the opinion of the larger niimber of 

 your subscribers) the better pleased I am, ... at any rate, I hope 

 you will see your way to publish 48-page numbers monthly. . . . 

 I do not often interfere in matters of this sort, but on this occasion I 

 feel that the majority of your subscribers would support you in con- 

 tinuing the present arrangement, and if you are not afraid of the 

 increase in your labour of editing, they need not fear the slight 

 increase of the annual subscription." Mr. Home, of Aberdeen, 

 writes : — " I am very sorry that you intend to revert to the old plan 

 of publishing the Ucrord monthly. I would petition in favour of a 

 continued fortnightly publication. My entomological education has 

 mostly been received from the pages of the Record, and it cannot 

 appear too often for me. I fully believe that others could say the 

 same, although they might not care to openly admit it." We are, of 

 course, in our subscribers' hands. Our own services and those of 

 Mr. Page, F.E.S., are absolutely gratuitous. 



We shall attempt, as hitherto, to deal with the various subjects 

 which are of special interest to the field naturalist. At the same 

 time, we shall continue to keep our readers abreast of the scientific 

 advance which is taking place so rapidly in entomological as in all 

 other sciences. That we have been fairly successful in doing this 

 will, we think, be conceded. 



We shall be very pleased to receive " Field Notes," " Practical hints 

 as to rearing larvfe and pupae," " Observations on the lit'e-histories 

 and habits of insects," from any source. Notes dealing with such 

 subjects as these are always interesting to a large number of readers. 



To Mr. G. B. Routledge, F.E.S., who has the Special Index in a 

 very forward state, our thanks are especially due. 



We will only add, in conclusion, that we shall be thankful for all 

 help which our subscribers can give us in making the Magazine known 

 to the ever-increasing army of recruits who are continually joining 

 our ranks. 



