PREFACE, 



Compared with our butterflies, the number of moths found in 

 the British Isles is very large. Like the butterflies, moths too 

 are dependent upon plant life, and almost every kind of herb, 

 bush, or tree, will be found to nourish the caterpillars of one or 

 more species of moth. 



Not only the field botanist, but every rambler in the country 

 must constantly come across moths or caterpillars that will 

 probably interest him, and of which he would be glad to learn 

 something about their habits, life-history, and the position they 

 occupy in the arrangement and classification of Natural History 

 objects. 



In the preparation of this little book on our moths, the 

 author has proceeded closely on the lines adopted when dealing 

 with the butterflies in his previous volume. That is, the chief 

 aim has been to place before the nature lovers as much infor- 

 mation concerning these creatures as could be condensed into 

 moderate limits. 



Lengthy descriptions were out of the question, but what 

 might be considered an omission in this way, is amply com- 

 pensated for by the life-like portraits of typical examples of the 

 moths themselves, and in many cases of their more important 

 varieties. Technicalities have been avoided as far as possible, 

 the main object being to provide a guide to the identification of 

 our moths, together with a simple account of the whole or a 

 part of their earlier stages. 



