IXTRODUCTION. ii 



have hitherto boon in general use for many of the widely 

 distributed and familiar species; many others have borne the 

 names given them by well-known German, French, and English 

 authors. But the late Herr Lederer unearthed from old 

 magazines descriptions which he considered applicable to 

 many of these species, and, on account of their earlier date, 

 substituted the names attached to these descriptions for 

 those in common use. These changes being adopted by Dr. 

 Staudinger, the great purveyor of European Lepidoptera, and 

 published in his synonymic list, have come to be widely known 

 and to some extent used, both here and abroad, though not 

 without heartburning and bitter protest. But it seems doubt- 

 ful whether these changes were in all cases warranted — 

 whether, in fact, the descriptions really represent the species 

 to which they have been applied ; and as time will by no 

 means allow of an examination of all competing claims, it is 

 intended in the preseait work to quote every name under 

 which any species is widely known. The I'eader then can use 

 that which he prefers. 



