PREFACE vii 



another matter connected not so much with such things as 

 examinations and the needs of classes of students, as with the 

 delight of merely watching living things, pi trying to trace 

 out their strange life-histories, and then of comparing notes 

 with what other investigators have recorded. The author is, 

 however, very conscious that in a book of this kind, which 

 skims over such a wide field, there will be many omissions, 

 and also observations may be recorded in it which ought first 

 to have been further verified ; notification of errata or of facts 

 elucidating doubtful points will therefore be most gratefully 

 received by her. 



In conclusion, I wish to express my thanks to Miss Violet 

 Sheffield for the skill and care with which she has carried out 

 my directions in the preparation of the illustrations, an ex- 

 ceptionally difficult task, as a very large number have been 

 drawn from the living creatures in order to reproduce as far 

 as possible their characteristic appearance in life. 



I am indebted to Messrs. Macmillan and Co. for permission 

 to reproduce Figs. 32, 40, 49, 50, 51, 53, 56, 57, and 303 

 from the Cambridge Natural History, Figs. 6, 7, 18, 24, 

 28, 29, 52, 55, 58, 59, 94, and 112 from A Text Book of 

 Zoology by T. J. Parker and W. A. Haswell ; and Figs. 172 and 

 186 from Aquatic Insects by Professor Miall ; also to Messrs. 

 Cassell and Co. for Fig. 82 from The Outdoor World by 

 W. Furneaux, and Fig. 298 from Eyes and No Eyes by 

 Mrs. Fisher ; to the Trustees of the British Museum for Figs. 

 36, 102, and 117, taken from the Guides to the Museum; to 

 Messrs. A. and C. Black for Fig. 137 from A Text Book of 

 Zoology by 0. Schmeil ; to Messrs. Newnes for Figs. 118 

 and 120 from Flashlights on Nature by Grant Allen; to 

 Messrs. Methuen for Figs. 294 and 295 from The Bee 

 People-, and to the Columbia University Press for Figs. 315- 

 319 from Ants by W. M. Wheeler. 



Finally, my heartiest thanks are due to Miss Collins, the 

 Principal of the School of Nature Study and Gardening, 

 Clapham near Worthing, for the many beautiful specimens 



