It is necessary to mention, that both the descriptions, and engravings, were finished 

 about the beginning of the year 1771; and as some of the insects are mentioned as non- 

 descripts, that since that time have appeared in other works, I hope I shall not be con- 

 sidered as guilty of an imposition on that account. 



The present age has made great improvements in entomology, as well as other parts 

 of natural history. The many publications that have appeared on that subject within these 

 two years, are proofs how well works of this kind are received ; and as all iconographers 

 aim at giving representations of unfigured subjects, it is no wonder if some contained in 

 this volume should be presented to the world by those who happened to have got the 

 start of me. The plates were actually engraved, and great part of the prints coloured, 

 before I discovered that any of the subjects had been figured by other authors ; and to 

 have suppressed them on account of the very few that are found in other works, would 

 have incurred an expense greater than the nature of the case would allow. 



The objection made of the want of names to the insects contained in my first volume, 

 the reader will here find removed ; and trivial as well as generical ones, given to every 

 insect in the whole work : and likewise a few errors of the press corrected, that have 

 almost imperceptibly got in. I was, indeed, truly sensible of the defect and incompleteness 

 of that volume, occasioned by the above circumstance, and would gladly have named every 

 insect then delineated ; but the different opinions subsisting at that time among entomolo- 

 gists, some preferring one author and some another, made me exceeding cautious of entering 

 on that business : and I rather chose to defer it to the present opportunity, than give 

 occasion for any reflections against me, for my attachment to an author, whose method I 

 should certainly have pursued, and whose works have deservedly entitled him to the 

 appellation of father of natural history. I mean the excellent Linneus, whose system 

 seems now to be generally approved and followed ; and I must here mention, the oppor- 

 tunity that the present work affords of giving an explanation of the terms, &c, in his work, 

 I should certainly have availed myself of, for the benefit of the young beginner ; but as my 

 friend, Mr, Curtis, has published a good translation of the " Fundamenta Entomologiaj " of 

 that author, wherein the young student, as well as the adept, who are not versed in the 

 Latin tongue, may receive great improvement ; I must refer them to that work for the 

 properly understanding the plan and design of that great author. 



The reader will observe, that in giving trivial names I have strictly followed the method 

 of Linneus. The Butterflies entitled to be ranked among the Equites, are named after 

 some great personage found among the Greeks and Trojans ; as in Plate iii. Fig, 1. where 

 I have named the insect Antenor, from a Trojan prince ; and Plate ix. Fig. 1, 2. Menestheus 

 from a Grecian one ; one belonging to the Eq. Trojanes, the other to Eq. Achivi. I have 

 likewise followed his rule in naming the insects belonging to other classes ; and given 

 such as I concluded to be the most easily retained in the memory. To this end also I 

 have used the Latin language in preference to the English, for the great liberty it allows 



