PREFACE. XI 



too much to solicit a suspension of judgment on the question whether 

 a monster may exist in the sea which does not adorn our collections. 



In Fishes, the papers by Mr. R. Q. Couch are invaluable : his ob- 

 servations on the migrations of the pilchard (Zool. 1644 and 1705) 

 ought to be studied with the most profound attention ; they are not 

 merely interesting to the naturalist, but are of the highest importance 

 in connexion with our national resources. 



In Insects the present volume is peculiarly rich : we have many 

 interesting and beautiful additions to our native Lepidoptera ; Cerura 

 bicuspis (Zool. 1863), taken near Preston by Mr. Cooper; Lithosia 

 pygmaeola (Zool. 1914) on the coast of Kent; Hydrsecia Petasitis 

 (Zool. 1914) flying over the flowers of the butter-bur ; Hadena 

 assimilis (Zool. 1914) by Mr. Weaver in Scotland; Eupisteria pice- 

 aria, Coccyx cosmophorana and Scardia Picarella (Zool. 1883) by 

 Mr. Hodgkinson in Perthshire ; Acidalia pallidiaria and Catoptria 

 citrana by Mr. Stevens at Southend; and a new Psyche (Zool. 

 1863), which he proposes to call retiella, by Mr. Ingall in the Isle 

 of Sheppey. In Diptera, we have Mr. Bracy Clark's observations 

 on the larva of the QEstrus of the stag (Zool. 1569) : this discovery, 

 or rather re-discovery, for Reaumur has also described and figured it, 

 is one of great interest, and its record in the pages of the ' Zoologist ' 

 will doubtless meet the eye of some one who has the opportunity of 

 pursuing the enquiry, and tracing the insect through the various 

 stages of its existence : I quite agree with Mr. Clark in believing it 

 will eventually prove identical with the QEstrus pictus of Curtis's 

 1 British Entomology.' In Hymenoptera, Mr. Smith has continued 

 his admirable and elaborate papers on bees ; these, in the present 

 volume, are confined to the numerous and very difficult genus Andrena 

 (Zool. 1662, 1732 and 1916): the utility of these papers will be ap- 

 preciated by those who have studied this interesting order of insects. 

 In Coleoptera, the papers by Mr. Wollaston (Zool. 1570, 1671, 1753, 

 1897 and 1934) and Dr. Schaum (Zool. 1887 and 1932) are of great 

 and lasting value. Dr. Schaum's paper on the Hydrocanthari shows 



