PREFACE. 



We have, with this number, conchided our 20th vohime, the next, 

 therefore, will be a " coming of age " volume. We hojie to celebrate 

 it with a " coming of age number." 



The success of our last volume has probably exceeded that of any of 

 its predecessors. This is particularly the case with regard to the illus- 

 trations, which, during the current year, have almost doubled those of 

 any previous volume. For this success we are indebted to various 

 members of the Editorial staff who have, in this matter, treated the 

 magazine most generously. In all other matters, too, they have 

 given their aid most ungrudgingly. 



On the completion of our last volume we made a special appeal to 

 correspondents for papers referring especially to British entomology ; 

 our pages show that the appeal was not made in vain, as collecting-notes, 

 involving life-histories, details of dates, distribution, etc., have been 

 received in increasing abundance ; short notes involving observations of 

 habits, etc., most interesting to the bulk of readers, are still earnestly be- 

 sought. We also made a special appeal for annotated faunistic lists 

 of the counties of Eoss-shire, Sutherland, and other outlying parts of 

 the British Islands ; and have received in response thereto one of 

 Ross-shire, which we hope to publish shortly. We again particularly 

 appeal for notes and observations from all or any outlying part of the 

 British Islands. 



The lamented death of Mr. A. J. Chitty, so shortly after joining 

 our editorial staff, is the first removal that we have encountered 

 through death. It may be looked upon as the only real grief that we 

 have suffered during our unusually vigorous and healthy childhood 

 and youth. The kindness that we have generally met from ento- 

 mologists willing to help us has hitherto not led us to seek a large 

 number of names for official recognition, but so much time has recently 

 been devoted to helping us in our investigations into the natural 

 history of the lepidoptera, so great a part of which is reflected in our 

 communications to this Magazine, by various lepidopterists of high stand- 

 ing, that we have felt constrained to alter this practice. The names 

 and work of the Rev. C. R. N. Burrows, the Rev. George Wheeler, Mr. G. 

 T. Bethune-Baker, and Mr. Alfred Sich, who have recently consented to 

 join our staff, are too well-known to all lepidopterists to need intro- 

 duction. 



The General Index has again been compiled by the Rev. C. R. N. 

 Burrows. The Special Index is in hand, and will be done by Professor 

 T. Hudson Beare, Messrs. M. Burr, J. E. Collin, and H. J. Turner, 

 all old and accurate workers in this direction. To all of these our best 

 thanks are most gratefully tendered. Without, however, the continued 

 help of the outside entomological public our labour would be in vain, 

 and we, therefore, thank most heartily all our subscribers, contributors, 

 and helpers in any form, for their continued kind support. We only 

 hope that they will, on every possible occasion, introduce our Magazine 

 to the notice of ail, but particularly young, entomologists. 



