INTRODUCTION. 



The object in preparing the present Catalogue has been to give at one view a description 

 of all the species of Phasmid.e now in the British Museum Collection, and also a description 

 of those species which are known to exist in other Collections, but which are at present 

 desiderata in the Museum Collection, to enable travellers, collectors, and others to assist in 

 completing the National Collection. 



The figures have been drawn and lithographed by the author, who has paid great attention, 

 in preparing them, to the proportion which the joints of the limbs and the body bear to each 

 other, which he believes to be one of the best characters for the distinction of species, and one 

 which it is very difficult to express in a moderate space in a description. 



Mr. W. W. Saunders, and several other entomologists named in the text, have most kindly 

 lent the specimens in their Collections to be compared with those in the British Museum, and 

 with the figures which the author had made from specimens in Foreign Collections, to enable 

 him to determine the species Avith greater precision. 



The species in the British Museum me marked with B.M. in the margin. 



JOHN EDWARD GRAY. 



British Museum, June 1, 1859. 



