INTRODUCTION. XI 



This is a most disappointing document. It appears to be a list 

 of the species he had taken, jotted down — specific names only 

 — to refresh his memory for the next year's collecting. The 

 generic names, or initials of genera, are never given, and there 

 are no notes of any kind. Even an insect new to science like 

 '"'' Sangiella^'' or new to Britain like '''■ Insignitella,'''' is put 

 down by the specific name only without a word of comment. 

 Common species are never entered, and even the rarer ones are 

 only entered once or twice, and then discontinued. The late 

 John Sang was very much the best lepidopterist the district 

 has yet produced, and his knowledge of the order was so com- 

 plete that it is terribly disappointing to find that he has left 

 no worthier record of his life's work behind him than this bald 

 list of species. J^o one was readier to give information than 

 he was, and few had more to give when he was seen personally ; 

 but he seemed averse from writing, and his letters were always 

 of the briefest. The only consolation is that the list is a re- 

 liable record, especially full in the smaller species, of what he 

 has taken at the various places where he collected. 



I would also refer to the aid I have had from my friend and 

 co-worker Mr. John Gardner, and I am glad to think he is still 

 to the front, the only one left of those that I knew in my 

 earlier days of collecting. We have collected more or less 

 together for nearly fifty years, and trust we may still have 

 many more excursions in the years yet to come. Mr. Gardner, 

 like our mutual friend Sang, is not troubled with cacoethea 

 scrihendi, and it is only with difficulty I can get him to write 

 out notes of his captures, but he has spared neither time nor 

 trouble to investigate any critical or doubtful point, to name 

 dubious species, or to render any aid where his great knowledge 

 and experience might be of service. 



Nor must I conclude this portion of the introduction without 

 referring to the late Curator and Secretary, Richard Howse. 

 Not only in his official capacity did he take interest in making 

 the Catalogue as complete as possible, but he spared no trouble 

 to effect that end. He knew a little about British Lepidoptera 

 as the Curator of a Museum was bound to do, and whenever he 



