IV PREFACE. 



future time. The knowledge of the Indian members of these 

 groups is more imperfect than is that of the Aculeata. At 

 present Col. Bingham's knowledge of Indian animal life, 

 accumulated during a long period of service in India and 

 Burma, can be employed upon a group of insects that is 

 better known, and of which a complete general account has 

 for many years been urgently required. The Editor has 

 much satisfaction in being able to announce that H.M/s 

 Secretary of State for India has approved of the inclusion 

 of the Indian Butterflies in the present series, and that 

 Col. Bingham has undertaken the description of them. 



Other volumes of the fauna which are nearly ready for 

 the press, and which may be expected before long, are 

 Mr. Gahan's on Longicorn Coleoptera, and a second 

 volume of Rhynchota by Mr. Distant. Land and Fresh- 

 water Mollusca and the Butterflies will, it is hoped, appear 

 in due course. 



For the first time in many years, less than a twelvemonth 

 has elapsed between the publication of the last part of the 

 Fauna, Vol. I. of the Rhynchota, and its successor, the work 

 now issued. 



W. T. BLANFORD. 



March 1st, 1903. 



