PREFACE. IX 



Bonnet;, Lyonel:^ the Hiibers^ &C.;, as well as their 

 own individual observations, relative to the noxious 

 and beneficial properties of insects; their affection 

 for their yoiinii;; their food, and modes of obtain- 

 ing- it; their habitations ; societies ; &c. &c:.: and 

 thej were the more induced to adopt this plan, 

 from the consideration, that, thougli many of the 

 most striking- of these facts have before been pre- 

 sented to the English reader, a g-reat proportion 

 are ujiknown to him; and that no similar gene- 

 ralization (if a slight attempt towards it in Smel- 

 lie*s Philosopliij of JVatural History, and a confes- 

 sedly imperfect one in Latreiile's Hbtolrc Natii- 

 Telle dcs Crusiacds ct dcs Insectes be excepted) has 

 ever been attempted in any language. — Thus the 

 entire work would be strictly on the plan of the 

 Philosophia Entomologica of Fabricius, only giv- 

 ing a much greater extent to the CEconomin and 

 Usus, and adverting- to these in the first place in- 

 stead of in the last. 



The epistolary form was adopted, not certainly 

 from any idea of their style being particularly 

 suited to a mode of writing so difficult to keep 

 from running into incongruities; but simply be- 

 cause this form admitted of digressions and allu- 

 sions called for in a popular work, but which 

 might have seemed misplaced in a stricter kind 

 of composition; — because it is better suited to 



