PREFACE. v 



As regards the discovery of species new to science and the capture of others that up 

 to that time had been rare in collections, the Chinese expeditions organized by Mr. Leech 

 may be regarded as his most important entomological exploits. In 1887 Mr. Pratt was 

 commissioned to investigate the insect-fauna of the valley of the Yang-tze River, and his 

 first season there proving so very satisfactory he was asked to remain out for another 

 year. Again the results were excellent and Mr. Leech then decided that he would have 

 further explorations conducted in Western China, and Herr Kricheldorff was sent out to 

 assist Mr. Pratt. As none of the available native boats were considered suitable for the 

 purpose of the new venture, orders were given in Shanghai for one to be built and fitted 

 according to requirements ; this was done and in March 1889 the voyage up the Yang-tze 

 was commenced. On arriving at Chia-ting-fu some of the crew of the boat, who had 

 been instructed in the art, were left to collect insects ; whilst the remainder of the party 

 pursued their way in the direction of the Thibetan frontier. A second journey over pretty 

 much the same route in 1890 was not quite so successful as the preceding one, as the 

 natives exhibited considerable ill-feeling towards the leaders of the party and it was 

 deemed advisable to get away from among them. 



The entomological material accumulated during the four years the collectors were in 

 China was very large, but besides this mammalia, birds, and reptiles, and also plants, were 

 obtained. The Coleoptera and species of other orders of Insects have been worked out 

 by specialists, among whom was the late Mr. H. W. Bates. Mr. Leech undertook the 

 Lepidoptera of China and also of Japan and Corea and published papers thereon in the 

 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London' for 1887-1889, the 'Transactions of 

 the Entomological Society of London' for 1889, 1898-1901, the 'Annals and Magazine 

 of Natural History,' (6) xix. & xx., the ' Entomologist,' xxiii. & xxxi., and ' Ento- 

 mologist,' Supplement, 1891. 



His great work ' Butterflies from China, Japan, and Corea,' which ho brought out 

 during the years 1892-1891, is recognized as the authority upon the subject. 



Except in exceedingly few instances, the whole of the eighteen thousand specimens, 

 representing eleven hundred species, comprised in the collection are in perfect condition 

 and beautifully set out. 



The collection includes selections from several continental cabinets that Mr. Leech 

 had purchased at various times, but chiefly from the rich collection formed by the late 

 Herr Mutzell, of Berlin. Important additions were also received from Dickmann 

 (Amurland), Tancre and Grum-Grshimailo (Central Asia). The special value of the 

 collection is, however, found in the splendid series of butterflies obtained in the course of 

 the journeys referred to above. 



