THE BRITISH TORTRICES. 



CLASS INSECTA. 



Division HAUSTELLATA. 

 ORDER LEPIDOPTERA, LINN. 



Section Heterocera, Boisduval. 



(GROUP 6.) TORTRICINA, STA. 



THE insects which form the subject of the following pages are 

 comprised in the sixth* group (TORTRICINA) of the section 

 Heterocera, and are numerously distributed throughout Europe, 

 and perhaps the whole world. At present, however, it would 

 appear that Europe is their metropolis, as specimens of this 

 family, sent home in promiscuous collections of Lepidoptera from 

 all parts of the world, are considerably fewer in number than 

 those of other groups. It cannot be argued that this arises 

 from their small size, as the TINEINA, a group usually much 

 more diminutive, reach us well represented. 



There are about five hundred known and described European 

 species in cabinets, and of these nearly three hundred are indi- 

 genous to Great Britain and Ireland, or about one-seventh of 

 our entire known Lepidopterous fauna, and doubtless we have 

 many more yet to be discovered. Considering the smallness of 

 the area in which our number of species occurs, and comparing 

 it with the whole of Europe, it would appear that we are favoured 

 with a greater portion of this group, as is the case also in the 



* Vide Insecta Britannica, vol. iii. pp. 2 and 6. 



