PREFACE. 



Every Student in Entomology must have experienced the 

 great inconvenience of not having a compact printed Catalogue 

 of British Insects^ for the purpose of carrying in his pocket or 

 of transmitting to his Correspondents^ to ascertain at one view 

 those which he possessed^ as well as his desiderata. To supply 

 this want Mr. Wilkin began to print A Catalogue of British 

 Insects fifteen years back; and the MS. shortly after falling 

 into the Author's possession, it would have been published long 

 since, had it not been for the repeated promises held out in an- 

 other quarter for the last seven or eight years. 



The Author is now compelled for his own convenience to 

 print a few Catalogues for himself; and having been solicited 

 by many friends to publish the " Guide/^ he has been induced 

 to comply with their request, hoping that it may be of service to 

 all British Entomologists. 



1st. It will enable them to arrange their Cabinets system- 

 atically. 



2ndly. They may mark off their own Insects so as to know 

 instantly whether they have a species or not, by which means 

 their desiderata will be shown ; and this the Author is per- 

 suaded will enable Students to enrich their Cabinets by mutual 

 exchanges to an extent which could not be accomplished by any 

 other means. 



3rdly. It will form Labels for Cabinets. 



4thly . It will be a systematic Index to " The British Entomo- 



