

PREFACE. 



The late Mr. William Chapman Hewitson be(|ueatliecl liis Colluctiou of 

 Butterflies to the British Museum on condition tliat tlie Collection should bo 

 called the "Hewitson Collection," and should be kept in good order, 

 preservation, and condition, and in the same cabinets and in the same order 

 and arrangement, and under the same nomenclature, as they should be at 

 the time of his decease until the expiration of twenty-one years from that 

 time. ]Mr. Hewitson likewise directed his Executors before delivery over of 

 his Collection to the Museum, to cause a Catalogue to be made, and certain 

 copies to be printed and circulated at the expense of his Estate, auKjng such 

 Public Museums and Lepidopterists as his Executors should see tit. 



In accordance with ]\Ir. Hewitson's directions, the Executors employed 

 Mr. Kirhy to prepare the Catalogue previous to handing over the Collection 

 to the Trustees of the British Museum, who have accepted the bequest of 

 the Collection on the conditions named in the Will. 



The Collection consists of about 4000 species as arranged by himself, and 

 is contained in seven cabinets, comprising altogether 357 drawers of a large and 

 uniform size. As is well known, Mr. Hewitson allowed great latitude for 

 variation, and many Entomologists would probably consider the Collection 

 to contain a far greater number of species. 



In the arrangement, determination of species, synonyms, or occasional 

 indications of new species, Mr. Kirliy has simply followed the Collection itself ; 

 lie has added the names of families, the authorities for the specidc names, 



