will make the Work both of wider scope, and of easier reference. 

 The arrangement carried out (Doubleday's), is that which is now 

 generally adopted in this country. The number of new species 

 added to our Lists since the publication of the First Edition of 

 the CALENDAR, in 1860, is considerable, and affords a striking 

 proof of the intelligent energy which has been exercised in 

 working out the Lepidoptera. This fact, coupled with the 

 great increase which has taken- place in our knowledge regarding 

 a large number of species, rendered a NEW EDITION of the 

 CALENDAR desirable, independent of the fact of its having been 

 for some time out of print, and still in considerable request. 



In a work of this kind, which is mainly made up of recorded 

 observation, the great aim of the Author has been to indicate 

 the leading points of what is known of the British Lepidoptera, 

 in all their stages, and to record how they behave in a state of 

 nature, rather than under the artificial treatment of the breeder, 

 with a view to finding the species desired, with the smallest 

 expenditure of time and trouble. While breeding insects from 

 the egg is an admirable method of gaining insight into the 

 habits of some species, which could not otherwise be obtained, 

 and especially for the initial steps where the food-plant and 

 habits are wholly unknown, it often has its drawbacks in hiding 

 from view habits pursued in a state of nature, to obtain food, 

 evade enemies, and other important points which pertain to the 

 life-history of the species. Breeding has a legitimate function 

 to perform, in helping to enlighten us as to the occult habits of 

 many species ; but to continue the process year after year with 

 the same species, simply for the sake of obtaining " fine 

 specimens" for cabinet exhibition and exchange, is not true 

 science. No one ever heard of a botanist gathering seeds 

 of a rare plant, and imitating the natural conditions in his 

 own garden, and then offering the products of his industry in 

 exchange for other plants he has not been able to obtain. One 

 of the evil results of this system has been that (many rare or 

 local species having been thus secured) no effort is made to 

 obtain a knowledge of their habits in a state of nature, simply 

 because the " blank" their absence caused in the cabinet has 

 been filled up, and we know what the species can be got to eat, 

 and how it behaves in the captivity of the breeding-cage. 



In collecting the many details set forth in the CALENDAR, the 

 Author has received important aid from several Entomologists, 



