PRE FACE 



In the present and previous series of "The Moths of the British 

 Isles," over 750 species have been portrayed on the plates and 

 described in the text — a number that includes all those insects 

 formerly grouped under the now obsolete term " Macro-Lepi- 

 doptera." The task of dealing with so many species in two 

 volumes has necessarily imposed brevity in their treatment ; 

 but it is hoped that nothing has been omitted that could" be 

 legitimately regarded as falling within the scope of volumes 

 especially designed for the votaries of Nature Study. 



To have comprised in this scheme the large contingent of 

 our moths known as " Micro-Lepidoptera^^ would have reduced 

 further the space available for those species which experience 

 shows appeal to the majority of nature students in a way that 

 the minuter forms may not do. Even then, only a few general 

 remarks on each group would have been possible, with, perhaps, 

 a portrait or two of representative species. Such a course 

 seemed hardly likely to prove of practical utility. The " Small 

 Fry," as they have been called, exceedingly interesting though 

 they may be to a limited number of students, have therefore 

 been left for separate treatment at some more convenient 

 season. 



Both classification and nomenclature are always under 

 revision, and we are probably a long way from hearing the last 

 word concerning either. These are, however, matters that 



