VI 



PREFACE 



important Orders are illustrated by one or more caterpillars of butterflies and moths) which feed 



plates. We have not, however, been able to 

 notice every species, or even every genus of British 

 plants; but the number of British genera in each 

 Order is noted after its name. Some of the more 

 useful or interesting foreign plants belonging to 

 the various Orders are occasionally mentioned. 

 In order to avoid interrupting the text, a detailed 

 explanation of the plates has been given in a 

 separate Index. 



With the view of increasing the interest of the 

 book, some of the most important insects (especially 



upon or frequent various plants have been briefly 

 described. Casual notes on legends and super- 

 stitions in regard to plants have also been 

 occasionally included. 



Almost every plant has its medical uses, and 

 various notes on this subject have been con- 

 tributed by Dr. W. Egmont Kirby. 



It will be seen that we have endeavoured to 

 include as varied an assortment of interesting 

 matter as our moderate limits would permit within 

 the compass of the present work. 



W. F. KIRBY. 



Chiswick, 



feme 1906. 



