PREFACE. XI 



whose system was he to select? That his 

 own is the most simple and the most readily 

 understood, no one will deny: that it is 

 more perfect, or more accurate, or more 

 philosophical, than any other, he does not 

 presume to contend. As for a disquisition 

 on system, it would have been dangerous 

 ground; pleasurable to the writer, but un- 

 profitable to the reader : it would have 

 doubled the size of the volume without add- 

 ing a fraction to its value. 



The Fourth Book, entitled the Preserva- 

 tion of Insects, contains nothing worthy of 

 comment ; it will be useful to those who wish 

 to make it so, and that has been the Author's 

 only object in writing it. 



The want of an easy introductory work on 

 Insects has been obvious to many. or the 

 last two years, during which time it has been 



