INTRODUCTION. 7 



ted industry and zeal, to collect all the larva? of Lepidopterous insects which I might 

 possibly obtain, and to trace them through the various periods of their existence. 

 With this view, I fitted up a large apartment adjoining my residence with breeding- 

 cages and receptacles for chrysalides. At the commencement of the rainy season, 

 the period when in tropical climates the foliage of vegetables is renewed, I daily 

 went out in search of caterpillars, accompanied by the most intelligent of my native 

 assistants. The caterpillars thus collected were placed in separate breeding-cages, 

 and several of the assistants were instructed to provide daily, at regular periods, 

 the food the individuals required, and to secure the cleanliness of the cages. As 

 soon as the caterpillars were approaching to perfection a drawing was made of 

 them. The same individual which had been submitted to the draughtsman was 

 then separately confined, watched with the most diligent care, and as soon as it had 

 passed into the state of a chrysalis again made the object of the pencil. A determi- 

 nate number was carefully attached to the drawing and to the cage of the chrysalis. 

 As soon as the perfect insect had appeared and expanded its wings, it was secured, 

 set, and numbered in accordance with the larva and chrysalis. During this period 

 every possible solicitude was employed to prevent mistakes: the original series, 

 consisting of the perfect insects and the chrysalides obtained by this mode of proceed- 

 ing, and numbered in accordance with the collection of drawings made at the same 

 time, is now deposited in the Museum of the Honourable East-India Company, and 

 affords an authentic document of the accuracy of the details regarding the meta- 

 morphosis of Javanese Lepidoptera, which will be offered in the course of this work. 

 During this process, the food, the date of appearance, the peculiarities as far as re- 

 gards the abundance or scarcity of the species bred, were carefully recorded, with 

 the intention of forming a regular " Raupen Calendar," according to the plan of 

 Schwarz, as well as for the purpose of contributing to a general calendar of the Fauna 

 and Flora of the island of Java. But I have in this place to regret the want of 

 many details, which could only be supplied by a longer period of observation than was 

 allotted to me. 



The process thus described, afforded likewise the means of obtaining in great 

 number perfect specimens of many of the Javanese Lepidoptera; and in this I 

 had in view, not only the extent and beauty of the collection, but particularly the 

 means of affording at a future period, by examination and dissection, a complete 

 history of this order of insects as found in Java. The advantages of this plan will 

 abundantly appear in the course of this work ; for I hope to be enabled to illus- 

 trate many generic characters, in detail, from specimens possessing all their parts 

 in a state of high perfection, and to contribute additional information on subjects, 

 of which a very unsatisfactory account has hitherto been published. My plan, as 



before 



