Preface 



and Dr. Harrison G. Dyar. With unfailing courtesy these gentles- 

 men most generously aided me by allowing me to use the 

 material in the National Collection, when it became necessary to 

 do so, and in many other ways gave me invaluable help. I 

 gratefully acknowledge the kindness of Professor J. B. Smith, of 

 Rutgers College, who very graciously went over the Plates con- 

 taining the Noctuidce, thereby saving me in several instances 

 from errors in determination. My best thanks are due to Mr. 

 William Beutenmuller, the Curator of Entomology in the 

 American Museum of Natural History, New York, for his most 

 obliging courtesy and for much valued assistance. To Mrs. 

 Beutenmuller's facile fingers I owe the frontispiece and many 

 illustrations in the text. To Sir George F. Hampson, of the 

 British Museum, and to the Trustees of that great institution, 

 a debt of gratitude is due for many favors, and especially 

 for permission to use some of the illustrations employed in 

 their publications. From Dr. Henry Skinner, of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and Mr. Jacob Doll, of the 

 Brooklyn Institute, I received great assistance. To the Messrs. 

 F. A. and H. S. Merrick, of New Brighton, Pa., to Dr. William 

 Barnes, of Decatur, III., and to Mr. O, C. Poling, of Peoria, 111., 1 

 return thanks for the loan of specimens used for illustration. 

 The Honorable Walter Rothschild and Dr. Carl Jordan, of Tring, 

 England, placed me under special obligations by permitting me to 

 see advance proofs of the pages of their great work upon the 

 Sphingidce. To all of these gentlemen, as well as to scores of 

 others, who have lent their aid in the preparation of the book, 1 

 extend my heartfelt thanks. 



While recognizing its imperfections, I trust that the volume 

 will accomplish much to quicken an interest, especially among 

 the young people in our schools and colleges, in that beautiful 

 department of scientific inquiry, which it is designed to some 

 extent to illustrate. 



Director's Office, W. J. H. 



Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pa. 

 September 8, 1903. 



