Introduction 



fields of study of fascinating interest and through such study will 

 undoubtedly come discoveries of much biological importance. 

 Most books tell what is known, but here we shall try also to point 

 out what is not known but which, nevertheless, can be more or 

 less easily found out. 



Something more is necessary, however, than life history 

 study alone. One must know the relations of the creature he is 

 studying and, moreover, he must know exactly what it is. 

 Therefore synoptic tables of the larger groups have been given, 

 and, in addition to this, full title references have been given to 

 all works and papers which will assist in the determination of 

 exact species in each of the larger groups. In this way an 

 attempt has been made in the first place to foster the study of 

 life histories; in the second place to write in popular style an 

 account of these insects which will interest perhaps those who 

 know little about insects and who wish to find out something 

 about them in the easiest way; and, thirdly, to put those who 

 have an earnest wish to go deeply into the study in possession 

 of information which will enable them to follow their studies 

 much further than this book or any other one book can take them. 



The choice of the groups of insects treated in the volume 

 may seem odd, but there are good reasons for it. The majority 

 of collectors of insects confine their attention to butterflies, 

 moths, and beetles. The butterflies and moths are most attrac- 

 tive from several points of view and the beetles are compact, 

 easily preserved and easily collected insects, whose classification 

 is most exact and more available than that of almost any other 

 group. The butterflies of the United States have already been 

 admirably treated in a volume of this series "The Butterfly 

 Book" by the eminent naturalist, Dr. W. J. Holland, and the 

 same author is preparing a moth book. The beetles need a book 

 by themselves, and such a volume will eventually be prepared. 

 The insects of the other orders have been more neglected and 

 since nevertheless their study is quite as interesting and perhaps 

 even more so than that of the beetles, butterflies and moths, a 

 special book may well be given to them. 



It has been the endeavor of the author and publishers to 

 illustrate the present volume as profusely as possible. The plates 

 are all original, having been photographed from insects either 

 collected especially for the purpose or taken from the collection 



