VI PREFACE. 



by the graver immediately on the copper, without the intervention of 

 any copy. 



The Systematic Catalogue of British Insects by Mr. Stephens 

 has been the guide throughout the Work ; but where the generic 

 names have been subsequently altered in the Illustrations of British 

 Entomology, the alterations are constantly noticed in the third 

 column. 



It was originally intended strictly to confine the Work to one 

 figure only of each species ; nor was this plan departed from till after 

 the first Plate was finished, and the second and third in progress. 

 It was then observed that the great dissimilarity between the Male 

 and Female of several species amongst the Butterflies, made it quite 

 necessary to figure some of the latter. This has caused an unavoid- 

 able confusion in the numbering of the second and third Plates ; 

 but it is presumed that the benefit arising from the deviation will 

 more than counterbalance the apparent defect. It must be observed, 

 that where the Male and Female are both figured, the number is 

 always repeated. Thus, in PL II. 40 a + the male ; 40 the female : 

 again, PL II. 58 a + the male ; 58 PL III. the female. 



Each page of the Work (as in the Index Testaceologicus) is divided 

 into columns. The first column contains the Linnsean names, to be 

 found in the twelfth edition of the Sy sterna Natures : the names 

 printed in Italics mark the species discovered since the time of 

 Linmeus. The second column contains the English names. The 

 third, the synonyms of British Authors, and the new genera as 

 adopted by Mr. Stephens and others. The high numbers preceding 

 each generic name in small capitals refer to the Systematic Catalogue 

 of British Insects, (where the Lepidoptera begin with No. 5794,)* 

 and the name to the species in the first column : Thus Gonepteryx 

 Rhamni of Stephens is the Papilio Rhamni of Linnaeus ; the Colias 

 Europome of Stephens is not a Linnsean species, being printed in 

 Italics ; the Colias Hyale of Stephens is the Papilio Hyale of 

 Linnaeus, and so on. The fourth column gives the Habitat of the 

 Insect, and the time of the year when it may be found. 



As a guide to the comparative size of the different Insects, a 



* Where no such number precedes the name, the Insect has been discovered since the 

 publication of the Catalogue in 1829. 



