146 NEW WORKS ON ENTOMOLOGY. 



" The present volume contains twenty-one species of Xepti- 

 cula (a genus interesting from the brilliancy of the perfect insects, 

 among which are the smallest known Lepidoptera), and three spe- 

 cies of Cemiostoma (a genus of small species, remarkable from 

 the neatness of the design on the anterior wings of the perfect in- 

 sects) ; and it is intended that each of the subsequent volumes 

 should contain twenty-four species, either all of one genus, or, at 

 least, in allied genera. 



" I must again beg, that each Entomologist who discovers the 

 transformations of any species of Tineina will at once communicate 

 with me ; and when possible that he will also forward me the living 

 larvae, for the purpose of being figured and described. It is to en- 

 courage such communications that I offer to present to every one 

 who shall first discover and communicate to me the transformations 

 of twenty species, with which I was previously unacquainted, a 

 copy of the entire series of this "Work.* If each Entomologist 

 would send me a list of the species of which he knows the trans- 

 formations, I would at once point out to him which are new to me, 

 and in reference to the British species I have already indicated in 

 the Second Edition of 'The Entomologist's Companion' all those 

 whose transformations w T ere unknown to me." 



* When this proposal was first made, I received the following letter 

 from one of my most useful correspondents : — 



" I received your letter and the annexed Prospectus, and am very 

 much pleased with the idea of the Publication of the transformations of 

 the Tineina, in the manner proposed, and shall be most happy to become 

 a Subscriber for one copy of the proposed work. 



" With respect to your proposal ' to present a Copy of the entire 

 Series to every one who shall first discover and communicate to you the 

 transformations of twenty species of Tineina with which you were pre- 

 viously unacquainted,' I hardly know, as far as I am concerned, what to 

 say, for if you had never commenced or proposed this work, whatever 

 discoveries I might have made would have been freely communicated to 

 you ; but, however, I will enter the lists, and if I come off a successful 

 competitor, I shall prize the volumes thus obtained far more than if they 

 had cost me in cash ten times their value, and if I fail (of which at pre- 

 sent I have no idea) it shall not be from any fault of mine ; and if 

 a winner, I will make a present of the Subscription Copy to some less 

 fortunate ' Brother of the net and pin.' 



" Yours very truly, 



" Richard Shield. 



" 6, Fleet Street, Dublin, January 80th, 1854." 



