PEEFACE. 



THE object of the present volume is to supply the Entomologist who 

 visits Southern Europe with one portable volume comprising all that 

 has been written on the Tineina of that portion of the globe. 



The aim has been to reproduce accurately the records of each 

 observer, but at the same time to place them, if possible, more 

 clearly and distinctly before the reader than they appeared when 

 originally published. 



The descriptions are reproduced in the actual words of the 

 respective authors, it being thought that he who is trying to make 

 out a species will always prefer to refer to the original than to any 

 translation however perfect. A translator, indeed, who has not the 

 actual insect before him is always liable to make errors which may 

 altogether vitiate the description ; for, though correctly translating 

 the words, he may, from misapprehending their meaning, give a 

 very different signification to the passage. 



The new matter in the volume is really extremely limited, less 

 than a tenth being devoted to the chapter which treats of the 

 author's doings in Southern Europe. 



But it is thought that the synthetic arrangement of all that has 

 been done in the last twenty-five years, and the addition to that of 

 all that had been written by previous authors, even going back to 

 the year 1750, on the Tineina of Southern Europe, will much 

 facilitate the further study of these insects. 



I would gladly have added another chapter as an epitome of the 

 more interesting Southern forms included in this volume ; but the 

 extent to which the subject had already swollen, and a lurking 

 doubt whether the proposed epitome might not itself grow to 

 rather unreasonable dimensions, induced me to leave that chapter 

 unwritten. 



My best thanks are due to all those who have so liberally assisted 



