PREFACE. 



THE object of the present volume is to give a brief account 

 of the Natural History of the insects inhabiting New 

 Zealand in a form intelligible to the ordinary reader. For 

 this reason every effort has been made to avoid all un- 

 necessary technicalities, and to adapt the book as far as 

 possible to the requirements of youthful entomologists and 

 collectors. 



Several very elaborate systematic lists and descriptions 

 have been published from time to time of the insects of 

 New Zealand, amongst which may be specially mentioned 

 Captain Broun's *' Manual of New Zealand Coleoptera," the 

 illustrated " Catalogue of New Zealand Butterflies," edited 

 by Mr. Enys, and Mr. Meyrick's " Monographs " of various 

 groups of the Lepidoptera ; but as yet no attempt has 

 been made to present the subject in a suitable form for 

 beginners. 



It is hoped that this book will, to some extent, fill up the 

 blank, and help to render what is now one of the most 

 popular natural sciences in Europe, equally appreciated in 

 New Zealand. 



The author is much indebted to Captain Broun, Mr. 

 R. W. Fereday, Mr. E. Meyrick, and others, for assis- 

 tance in identifying the various species mentioned in 

 this work. 



Wellington, New Zealand, 1891, 



