ENTOMOLOGY 



PREFATORY REMARKS. 



THE blights and murrains of India have hitherto had 

 their only record in the pages of journals and newspapers, 

 or occasionally in official reports ; but, as the correspond- 

 ence below will show, effect has now been given to my 

 recommendation to have periodical reports on occurring 

 pests, reports are coming to hand, and the need for a 

 more accessible registry has suggested this book. 



The expediency of having the text illustrated by plates 

 and wood engravings is under consideration. 



EDWARD BALFOUR. 



31^ March 1887. 



From Surgeon General Edward Balfour to the Under 

 Secretary of State for India. 



2 OXFOED SQUARE, HYDE PARK, LONDON, 

 Sth August 1885. 



SIR, The article ' Insects ' in the 3rd edition of the 

 Cyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia, 

 is, I think, the first attempt to give a general view of the 

 entomology of that wide region. This is, in many ways, 

 a very difficult branch of natural history ; but this article 

 was prepared and printed by me under the care of two 



