PREFACE. 



students in entomology need an outline of the species inhabiting the re- 

 gion in order that they may comprehend the relationship that the special 

 forms under consideration in the various courses bears to the whole assem- 

 blage of insects. This is the more necessary since insects affect human 

 interests in such a variety of ways, requiring that they be studied from 

 diverse and narrowing view points. 



Those beginning the study of the subject are advised to familiarize them- 

 selves with the illustrations as the first step in gaining the desired general 

 concept. These figures are all of local forms drawn or photographed by 

 the author or made under his immediate direction and have been loaned 

 for use in this publication by the Experiment Station thru the kindness of the 

 Director. 



Attention is particularly directed under each family to all the more im- 

 portant insects both of the local fauna and of other countries. 



Synopses are presented for the identification of all the family groups and 

 often for genera and species when of economic importance. 



The synopses are arranged in an original form which the author has em- 

 ployed in his classes for a number of years and found to facilitate the iden- 

 tification of insects and to emphasize the dominant groups and their dis- 

 tinctive characteristics. 



The plan of these synopses is to give in the order of size, the names of 

 the leading groups, each followed by the characters distinguishing it from 

 all that follow in the table. When the character is held in common by a 

 larger group and by one or more smaller groups the latter are given in 

 the same paragraph each followed by its distinguishing peculiarity. 



In using the tables therefore always begin with the first group and de- 

 termine whether the character applies to the insect in question,and if not, 

 proceed to the next paragraph, wholly disregarding the characters of the 

 smaller groups not heading a paragraph until the leading character aplies 

 and then each of the characters of the smaller groups in that paragraph must 

 be examined. 



ill. 



