VI 11 PREFACE. 



original papers were given every fortnight during the winter 

 months, often accruing from investigation during the summer 

 months, and the members freely criticised the paper of the 

 evening. This, though perhaps not always appreciated at the 

 time, was in itself a most excellent school. 



In a similar way I am indebted to the Manchester Micro- 

 scopical Society for a great deal of ready help from its 

 members. This Society, unlike the former, published the 

 papers of its members, and I have therefore to sincerely thank 

 it for publishing my papers on " Forest Insects," and, further, 

 for kindly giving me the blocks prepared from my own neg- 

 atives, some of which I have used for the present book. 



I have also to thank the Chester Society of Natural Science 

 for many extended courtesies given from time to time. The 

 material for this book has been collected in Cheshire and 

 Northumberland, but more especially the former county. 



I am also indebted to the Country Gentlemen's Association, 

 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, and the 

 Eoyal English Arboricultural Society for publishing papers on 

 Forest Entomology. 



Turning from societies to individuals, it is almost impossible 

 to acknowledge without being invidious those who have 

 assisted me in the subject-matter of the volume. Two 

 names may be mentioned. Mr E. Newstead, author of ' A 

 Monograph of British Coccidte,' gave me from time to time 

 much assistance on Scale Insects. Mr A. Flatters, Man- 

 chester, has given me great help in microscopical manipulation, 

 and has, in addition to the figures acknowledged with his 

 name, photographed several specimens from my own micro- 

 scopic slides, as, for example, the tiny Cecidomyia flies. 



As regards the first works from which I derived consider- 

 able assistance, I may specially mention 'A List of Insects on 



