PREFACE. 



With the conclusion of this tlie third volmue of the 

 Rhynchota^ the account of the Indian insects belonging to 

 that Order is carried to the end of the family Fulgoridse. 

 The preparation of this volume has been an arduous piece 

 of work, as the insects described in it are obscure and 

 little known. More especially does this apply to the 

 forms included in the Fulgoridse. The admirable classifi- 

 cation of this family initiated by Stul and continued by 

 Dr. Melichar, of Vienna, left untouched a large amount of 

 material that had to be examined and worked out. 



Though it is hoped that the present volume will throw 

 much additional light on the natural sequence and affinities 

 of the minor groups of this family, it must yet be borne 

 in mind that the work as a whole is primarily designed 

 for collectors in India as an aid to the identification of 

 insects, which, though probably numerous enough in that 

 country and of economic importance, have not been much 

 collected or observed. This point the Author, Mr. Distant, 

 has again and again referred to in the following pages. 



This is the first volume of the Handbooks on the Fauna 

 of British India published since the death of Dr. Blanford, 

 under whose Editorship the series was initiated and carried 

 on for over twenty years. The many obituary notices that 

 have appeared in the publications of the learned and scientific 



