IV PREFACE. 



In this volume, as in the first. Cotes and Swinhoe's Cata- 

 logue has been of the greatest service, and has saved all the 

 time and trouble that would, without its help, have been 

 expended on a preliminary search for references. Every 

 reference quoted in the present work has been verified 

 by the Editor from the original publication, a severe test to 

 apply to a book containing so large a synonymy as Cotes 

 and Swinhoe's. 



No attempt has been made in this or in the preceding 

 volume to decide finally whether many of the forms 

 described are entitled to rank as species, varieties, geo- 

 graphical or seasonal forms. Much more study of 

 structure, and especially of the claspers of the male 

 insect, will be needed before similar questions can be 

 satisfactorily determined. The main object of the present 

 work is to enable students to identify and classify the 

 various forms, and thus to establish a workable basis for 

 further enquiry as to their relations to each other. With 

 this end in view, the plan adopted has been to unite under 

 one specific heading those forms having close affinities in 

 pattern and colour, merely noting their differences, whilst 

 forms having a more remote relationship receive comparative, 

 and those still more distantly related non- comparative, 

 descriptions. In the same way groups of forms nearly 

 allied in structure constitute sections of genera, others more 

 remotely related form genera, subfamilies, &c. 



Two subfamilies of Noctuidce, the Focillinte and Deltoidina, 

 are not included in this volume, but will be placed at the 

 commencement of the next, which will also contain the 

 families Epicopiidoe, Uraniidce, Epiplemida, and Geometridce. 

 A considerable portion of the next or third volume is ready 

 for printing, and the whole will, it is hoped, be concluded 

 in the course of the year. 



G. F. HAMTSON. 



January 22nd, 1894. 



