INTRODUCTION. XV 



calculation with the beginning of time itself. It will be 

 gratifying to my readers to see how numerous are the 

 kinds that are still to be met with, even in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of our largest cities and towns. AYhether 

 it be that the. introduction of new plants on which they 

 feed encourages their growth, or that the climate is 

 improved for their existence by drainage and cultivation, 

 certain it is that in many cases where we should have 

 looked for extinction of race, we find increase; where 

 we should have thought that this or that kind would 

 have perished through and together with the eradication 

 of weeds, we find them to thrive on the very same 

 plants that nourish ourselves. 



I have given an extensive list of the localities where 



the several species are to be found, and I have thought 



it better where I could, especially in the case of rare 



insects, to give exact dates as well, for " It's a long cry 



to Lochow," and without close instructions a hunter 



might wander far from his game. The day of the month 



when a capture was made will, therefore, too, in like 



manner, often, though not always, be useful; as well as 



the particular spot, the exact "locus in quo." Even 



when a species is "common," "plentiful," or "abundant" 



"everywhere," I have still thought it better to indicate 



a few of the places, widely separate, where it occurs 



or has occurred. I have not taken up space with 



synonyms, as they may be had in any mere catalogue. 



When the male only is mentioned, the female is to be 



understood as of general resemblance to it. I have 



described the upper and under wings severally as of a 



triangular shape, within the inner corner, lower corner, 



and outer corner. 



Of the larger species, of course fewer figures are given, 

 though I think it will be allowed, considering the 



