INTRODUCTION. 
‘Tne author’s sole object in the production of this work has been to leave behind him 
correct pictorial representations of the exquisite things which have been to him a joy 
through life. He believes that there is nothing higher or more worthy of his 
ambition than the simple child-like study of the works of his and their Creator. He 
believes each species in itself perfect and as it first came from the hands of the 
Creator; and if he could believe in the transmutation of species or that there was 
one grain of truth in the chaotic jumble of Mr. Darwin, his life-long pleasure and 
occupation would be taken from him. He has himself experienced so much pleasure 
in identifying from a good figure any species which descriptions have failed to 
elucidate, that, encouraged by his own experience and the kind aid of his friend, Mr. 
Wilson Saunders, who bears half the loss sustamed in its publication, he is induced 
to proceed with a third volume. At the commencement of this work, ten years ago, 
the study of the Diurnal Lepidoptera had been so much neglected that our collections 
were crowded with undescribed species ; except in England, where the “ Genera of 
Diurnal Lepidoptera” had just been brought to a conclusion, scarcely anything had 
been done of late years towards their illustration. Since then much has been done. 
Dr. Boisduval has described the butterflies of California; M. Lucas several species in 
the “Revue et Magasin de Zoologie;’ Dr. Felder has described and figured 
numerous species ; M. Menetries has published a Catalogue of the Lepidoptera in the 
Imperial Museum of St. Petersburg; Horsfield and Moore have described and illus- 
trated the Butterflies im the collection of the East India Museum ; 412 new species 
(with 790 figures) have been given in this work, and yet numbers of species (not less 
than 500) remain unnamed. Mr. Wallace is still explormg the New Guinea group 
of islands, and abundant materials are accumulated from which to select illustrations 
for our third volume. The author cannot allow this opportunity to pass without 
expressing his sincere thanks to those who have so kindly aided him during the 
publication of this work; to Dr. Gray for the facilities of access which have been 
