PREFACE.- Xi 



treating of the larvse of our Sphinges or Hawk- 

 moths. 



The plates of the larvse have been executed by Mr. 

 F. 0. Moore, and every attempt has been made to re- 

 produce the life-like drawings of W. Buckler; those 

 who know anything of such work will appreciate the 

 difficulty sometimes felt by our engraver in reproducing 

 colour-drawings without the help of the instructions of 

 the artist who made them. 



We are much indebted to Mr. Gr. 0. Bignell for the 

 list of parasites bred from the larvaa of our British 

 butterflies which is given at pp. 201, 202. 



I have .only further to express my thanks to my 

 friend Mr. R. McLachlan, F.R.S., President of the 

 Entomological Society of London, for his kind assist- 

 ance in various stages of my Editorial labours. 



In conclusion, I cannot but remark what a stride 

 has been made in our personal knowledge of the larvae 

 of our butterflies in this country during the past thirty 

 years, and must tender my best thanks to all who have 

 contributed thereto, and must acknowledge the great 

 amount of pleasure I have derived from their work. 



H. T. STAINTON. 



MOUNTSFIELD, LEWISHAM ; 



December 3rd, 1885. 



P.S. — In reference to the measurements used in the descriptions, 

 it is almost unnecessary to add — that 



a line = "08333 of an inch. 



a millimetre =■ "03937 of an inch. 



