﻿354 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



conducting this Journal, the primary object we have in view is to 

 make it widely and generally useful. We have every reason to 

 believe that our readers are, as a whole, well disposed towards us, 

 as also to each other, and desire to assist, " by mutual confidence 

 and mutual aid," in the attainment of our purpose. • 



The suggestions of our readers will always receive due 

 consideration ; but we would point out to those who do not wish 

 the publication of such papers as those on the insect fauna of 

 China, that others are interested ; that they are a valuable 

 contribution to scientific knowledge ; and that they do not 

 interfere with the space devoted to British or non-descriptive 

 Entomology, as additional pages are always given when such 

 papers are published. 



It would seem almost unnecessary to say that we highly 

 value, and now again ask our readers for, notes on British 

 Entomology, records of captures, &c. An analysis of the 

 contents of the present volume will show that, as regards this 

 class of matter, the volume for 1890 is equal to its immediate 

 predecessors, and distinctly in advance of all the others. 



We are glad to say that the ' Entomologist ' has already an 

 increased circulation abroad, and that it still maintains the 

 position it has so long held in this country. These facts, taken 

 together, should make it apparent that as a medium for the 

 interchange of views and opinions on entomologixia^matters the 

 Journal has gained in value. It may not, perhaps, be of direct 

 importance to some of our contributors whether their papers or 

 notes are read or not by entomologists abroad, but indirectly it 

 does concern them, because the larger the circulation of the 

 ' Entomologist ' so much greater will be the surplus to expend 

 on plates and extra pages. 



The present volume contains 400 pp. and 4 plates. That for 

 1889, 320 pp., 8 plates, and 1 portrait; for 1888, 336 pp. and 

 1 plate ; for 1887, 344 pp. and 2 plates. The number of plates 

 in 1889 was in excess of that for this year ; but it is, perhaps, not 

 generally known that the cost of the four plain plates and half 

 that of one coloured one was defrayed by the authors of the 

 papers which they illustrated. 



