PllErACE. 



MO descriptions of larva3 are introduced, as the space would not 

 permit it. With reference to the synonymy, the works of tlie 

 jn'incipal writers were carefully gone over, and the descriptions 

 identified with known species, or set aside as undistinguishable. 

 The synonymy of the species described in this volume is giveu 

 more fully in the Catalogue of British Micro-Lepidoptera {Tineina), 

 which I have been conducti]ig through the press, for the Trustees 

 of the British IMuseum, simultaneously with this volume ; but 

 neither did that Catalogue, any more than the present volume, 

 admit of the introduction of critical disquisitions on the synonymy 

 of the species. 



To have gone minutely and critically into the synonymy, to 

 have described the larva of each species and its entire habits in 

 detail, would have completely altered the design of this work; but 

 1 purpose at no distant date, in conjunction with others, to edit 

 a more detailed and voluminous work, 'The Natural History of 

 the Tinehui.' 



To avoid misconception, it is however necessary to remark that 

 the present vohmie does not — cannot contain descriptions of all 

 tlie British Tnwlna ; the number of these is increasing upon us 

 (hvily ; all that has therefore been accomplished has been to de- 

 sci'ibc all the k/iown and (listhi[jni.sj/ed species : the latter expres- 

 sion is used advisedly, for it frequently happens that a so-called 

 new species is not really new, having lain dormant in our collec- 

 tions for years, but mixed with some other species, from which 

 M'e liave only at lengih learnt to distinguish it. Consequently, 

 in ad(Hlioii to Ihe new species that will be met with in the course 

 of a, few years, it may be also i'ouiul that many of Ihe species of 

 Ihis volume are little groups of species, which further investiga- 

 tions will enable us to se})arate; and as the transformations of 

 m;iiiy species not now known to us will be discovered, this xolnme 

 will gradnally fall in arrear of the i)rogressive science, and a new 

 edition will become recjuisitc. 



