VI PREFACE. 



The published works or papers on the British 

 species and the workers at the groups being so few, I 

 cannot hope that the present Monograph is very com- 

 plete as regards the actual number of British species ; 

 while, as will be seen, the life-histories of very many of 

 our commonest species are quite unknown. I cannot 

 hope either that I have escaped the errors of omission 

 and commission incidental to a work of this kind, 

 dealing as it does with little studied and little known 

 animals ; but such as it is, I hope, that at any rate it 

 will increase the number of students of these neglected, 

 but most interesting insects, and thus lead to an 

 extension of our knowledge of the British species and 

 their habits. 



The literature being thus so scanty, my indebted- 

 ness is the greater to those gentlemen who have 

 rendered me assistance by lending me specimens or 

 giving me information. In this respect my thanks are 

 especially due to Professor Westwood, F.L.S., Pro- 

 fessor J. W. H. Trail, F.L.S., Professor Gustav L. 

 Mayr, of Vienna, the late Professor Zaddach, of 

 Konigsberg, the late Dr. S. 0. Snellen van Vollen- 

 hoven, of the Hague, Dr. David Sharp, of Thornhill, 

 Dr. Buchanan White, F.L.S., of Perth, Messrs. R. 

 McLachlan, F.R.S., J. E. Fletcher, John B. Bridg- 

 man, Joseph Chappell, Edward Saunders, F.L.S., E. A. 

 Fitch, F.L.S., 0. W. Dale, James Hardy, J. J. King, 

 Thomas Wilson, T. E. Billups, J. G. Marsh, C. G. 

 Bignall, Richard McKay, the Rev. T. A. Marshall, 



