6 ImUan Museum Notes, [ Vol, Hi, 



contributors and no editor's name to appear on the title page. Funds 

 were furnished by the Government of India, both for incidental expenses 

 and also for the entertainment of a small subordinate staff of assistants 

 who were thereupon got together and gradually trained for the work. 

 The writer of this note was deputed to attend an agricultural conference 

 at Delhi, where the part to be taken by the various local governments 

 was discussed. 



Cordial support was afforded by all the Directors of Land Records 

 and Agriculture in the different provinces, and through them circular 

 letters were sent out inviting the co-operation of officials and others 

 interested in agriculture in all parts of India. 



As the result a stream of reports from all sides poured in upon the 

 Museum, accompanied by specimens of insects destructive to crops. 



The material that was furnished proved to be very unequal in merit, 

 for while much was of the greatest interest, a large proportion was found 

 to be almost entirely worthless owing to ignorance of natural history on 

 the part of the senders. The whole of it was none the less carefully exam- 

 ined, and all the information that could be extracted was recorded in 

 Indian Mtiseum Notes. One report and one set of specimens often sup- 

 plemented another, and little by little, by dint of constant correspond- 

 ence pointing out what had already been ascertained and indicating the 

 nature of the specimens and information required to enable the blanks 

 in the record to be filled up, a large number of the destructive species 

 were identified, and many portions of their life histories pieced together. 

 The information gathered in this manner was supplemented, whenever 

 live specimens could be procured, by rearing them through as many stages 

 as possible in the Museum, and from time to time particular groups, as 

 for instance the diverse silk insects and locusts of India, were made the 

 subject of more special investigation. 



This system, continued for six years, has gradually resulted in the 

 accumulation of a very considerable mass of information which has been 

 carefully recorded in the form of more or less fragmentary notices in the 

 numerous parts which make up the three volumes of Indian Museum 

 Notes issued since the project was started. 



During the whole course of investigation much generous help in 

 connection with the examination of specimens has been received from 

 entomologists in different parts of the world, who have also described a 

 good many of the new species that have been brought to light. Papers 

 have been furnished for publication in Indian Museum Notes by Lord 

 Walsingham, Mons. J. M. F. Bigot, Mons. L. Lethierry, Herr Van der 

 Wulp, Major C. T. Bingham, and Messrs. E. T. Atkinson, W. M. 



