INTRODUCTION. 63 



comparatively little value. To this may be added, 

 that the caterpillars are often difficult to discover, 

 owing to the nature of their haunts, many of them 

 living in the interior of trees, within the substance 

 of herbaceous vegetables, in fruits, &c. But the 

 want of this knowledge, from whatsoever causes it 

 may arise, has hitherto been a principal cause, and 

 will probably long continue to be so, of preventing 

 a natural arrangement of this tribe being effected ; 

 and the observation of Latreille will in all likelihood 

 long continue to be applicable, — " Nepotes nostri 

 methodum optimam soli confident." 



Before referring to a few of the principal me- 

 thods in which it has been proposed to arrange the 

 nocturnal Lepidoptera, it will be of advantage to 

 take a slight glance at some of those authors who 

 have contributed most to extend our knowledge of 

 exotic species, and from whose works the materials 

 must be principally derived to form the basis of 

 these arrangements. 



The works relating to the nocturnal Lepidoptera 

 of Europe are numerous and valuable. One of the 

 most extensive and useful is the " Die Schmetter- 

 ling von Europa," by Ochsenheimer and Treitschke, 

 in 14 vols. 8vo. Leipzig, 1807 — 34. Godart has 

 described the species indigenous to France ; Dupon- 

 chel has continued the work, and given an Icono- 

 graphy of the Caterpillars (Paris, 1832, 8vo.). 

 Hubner, Dennis and Schiffermiiller, Boisduval, and 

 many others, have likewise made valuable contri- 

 butions to the subject, in reference to its relations 



