vi PREFACE 



species inhabiting tlicsc Islands, or fully one-tenth of the British insects. 

 That the Ichneumonidae are very much more abundant both in species 

 and individuals in the Holarctic than in any other region is now well 

 authenticated ; but it appears by no means improbable that the Rev. 

 T, A. IMarshall's tentative computation of seven hundred and ten 

 thousand existing species will be fulfilled when this group has been 

 adequately investigated throughout " the whole Palcearctic Fauna, of 

 which that of the British Isles is only a half-starved fragment," " and 

 elsewhere. 



For the last time, and with regret, I here take the opportunity of 

 expressing the acknowedgment of my very great indebtedness to those 

 Entomologists who have so materially assisted me in the accomplishment 

 of my self-imposed task ; and I have not the least hesitation in asserting 

 that any measure of success it may have achieved in the way of confirming 

 doubtfully indigenous species and adding its quota to our knowledge of 

 their economy is very largely due to the most ready help I have invariably 

 received from both the following breeders of Lepidoptera and pains-taking 

 collectors of Insects. I thank : — Lady Robinson, Miss Chawner, Mrs. 

 Cowl, Mrs. Holmes, Rev. C. D. Ash, F. C. Adams, W. H. Andrews, 

 E. A. Atmorc, A. Bacot, E. R. Bankes, E. G. Bayford, M. Beathe, 

 the late Alfred Beaumont, E. C. Bedwell, Rev. M. C. H. Bird, the 

 late G. C. Bignell, K. Blair, Rev. E. N. Bloomfield, F. Bouskell, 

 R. C. Bradley, the late John Brooks Bridgman, E. Brunetti, Edward 

 Buckell, E.' A. Butler, J. E. Campbell-Taylor, Prof. J. W. Carr, 

 Dr. R. T. Cassal, Dr. T. A. Chapman, H. J. Charbonnier, the late 

 A. J. Chitty, G. W. Clutten, W. M. Christy, Dr. E. A. Cockayne, 

 H. Crowther, the late W. Cross, W. P. Curtis, the late C. W. Dale, 

 A. Adie Dalglish, W. B. Davis, H. St. J. Donisthorpe, |. Hartley 

 Durrant, Stanley Edwards, Willoughby Ellis, W. W. P^sam, W. Evans, 

 the late E. A. Fitch, T. B. Fletcher, P. de la Garde, J. de Gaulle, 

 the late W. Garneys, C. T. Gimmingham, Edward Goodwin, Rev. 

 H. S. Gorhani, J. C. Haggart, C. R. Haines, J. N. Halbert, A. H. 

 Hamm, Ray Hardy, F. C. Hinde, Prof. Sehvyn Image, O. E. Janson, 

 Rev. W. F. Johnson, J. W. Kaye, S. W. Kemp, J. H. Keys, the late 

 A. W. Luff, G. T. Lyle, Dr. McDougall, Hugh Main, J. R. Malloch, 

 W. INIansbridge, the late Rev. T. A. INIarshall, A. H. .Alartineau, the 

 late Dr. P. B. Mason, G. W. Mason, R. S. Mitford, A. M. Montgomery, 

 Frank Morey, Rev. F. D. Morice, C. H. Mortimer, J. F. INIusham, 

 E. A. Newbery, Dr. G. W. Nicholson, F. Norgate, Col. C. G. Nurse, 

 W. Ollis, G. W. Ord, W. Parkes, F. H. Peachell, Stephen Pegler, 

 K. Pfankuch, the late Albert Piffard, E. W. Flatten, G. T. Porritt, 

 R. M. Pridcaux, Edward Ransom, Carleton Rea, N. M. Richardson, 



■ H. VV. Bates, Presidential address, Ent. Soc, 1879. 



