PREFACE 







This book gives a comprehensive and concise account of insects. 

 Though planned primarily for the student, it is intended also for the 

 general reader. 



The book was written in an effort to meet the growing demand for a 

 biological treatment of entomology. 



The existence of several excellent works on the classification of insects 

 (notably Comstock's Manual, Kellogg's American Insects and Sharp's 

 Insects) has enabled the author to omit the multitudinous details of 

 classification and to introduce much material that hitherto has not 

 appeared in text-books. 



As a rule, only the commonest kinds of insects are referred to in the 

 text, in order that the reader may easily use the text as a guide to personal 

 observation . 



All the illustrations have been prepared by the author, and such as 

 have been copied from other works are duly credited. 



To Dr. S. A. Forbes the author is especially indebted for the use of 

 literature, specimens and drawings belonging to the Illinois State Labora- 

 tory of Natural History. 



Permission to copy several illustrations from Government publica- 

 tions was received from Dr. L. O. Howard, Chief of the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology; Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Chief of the Division of Biological 

 Survey, and Dr. Charles D. Walcott, Director of the U. S. Geological 

 Survey. Several desired books were obtained from F. M. Webster, of 

 the Bureau of Entomology. 



Acknowledgments for the use of figures are due also to Dr. E. P. 

 Felt, State Entomologist of New'York; Dr. E. A. Birge,JDirector of the 

 Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey; Prof. E. L. Mark 

 and Prof. Roland Thaxter, of Harvard University; Prof. J. H. Comstock 

 of Cornell University; Prof. C. W. Woodworth of the University of 

 California; Prof. G. Macloskie of Princeton University; Prof. W. A. 

 Locy of Northwestern University; Prof. J. G. Needham of Cornell Uni- 

 versity; Dr. George Dimmock of Springfield, Mass.; Dr. Howard Ayers 

 of Cincinnati, Ohio; Dr. W. M. Wheeler of the American Museum of 

 Natural History, New York City; Dr. W. L. Tower of the University 



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