INTRODUCTION. H 



above detailed, even though I should obtain no other assistance of the same nature. In 

 forming this resolution, I likewise considered that the series of perfect insects which 

 had been arranged in the Museum at the India-House, soon after my arrival in 

 England, would be of considerable use in regulating my progress. As far as regards 

 this series, I would observe in this place, that in its formation I had enjoyed the 

 advice and co-operation of my friends, William Swainson, Esq., now residing at 

 St. Albans, and of Mr. George Samouelle, of the British Museum. Indeed, a 

 large portion of the first tribe had been arranged exclusively by the former gentle- 

 man. The attention which he had bestowed on this subject during a long period 

 of years, his general acquaintance with the arrangements of others, and his correct 

 views and general experience in entomological pursuits, afforded him advantages for . 

 such an undertaking which are seldom possessed by one individual : and I embrace 

 with peculiar pleasure the opportunity now afforded me, of thus publicly acknow- 

 ledging his assistance, and of expressing my personal obligations. 



Having, therefore, a well-arranged collection of perfect insects before me, I com- 

 menced my work according to the principles above stated, by placing the larvae and 

 chrysalides, as far as I was able, in natural groups. It would, however, be foreign 

 to my present purpose to enumerate the result of my first attempts, and the means by 

 which I obtained, in my own opinion, more clear and correct views of the affinities of 

 this order, as far as they appear in the first stages of metamorphosis. I may remark, 

 however, with propriety, that these attempts laid the foundation for, and agreed 

 essentially with, that plan of arrangement, which I propose to adopt in that great 

 group, or tribe of this order which in the first part more immediately claims my 

 attention. Having completed this preliminary arrangement of my own materials, I 

 was naturally desirous of examining more in detad what had been done in the same 

 department by others with simdar materials, derived from different sources. This 

 led to a circumstance which has had a decided influence on my whole undertaking. 

 While I was prosecuting my inquiries on this subject at the Banksian Library, in the 

 course of last summer, a book was incidentally mentioned in conversation, by a 

 gentleman present,* which, I was informed, professed to be an attempt at an arrange- 

 ment of Lepidoptera, according to their metamorphosis. The title of the book was 

 new to me ; as it had been published without the name of an author, it had escaped 

 my research in my preparatory inquiries, and was not included in the list of books 

 which I had noted for occasional reference, although it was contained in the library, 



and 



* The author of the accurate and elegant Illustrations of the Genera of Insects found in Great Britain, &c.. 

 John Curtis, Esq. &c. 



c 2 



