PREFACE 



THIS book is built upon twenty-five years' work among 

 the butterflies of the West Coast ; and although a quarter 

 of a century is a large portion of a man's life, yet the work 

 of studying out the butterflies is but just begun. A hundred 

 years would not suffice to finish it. 



The Author regrets that the work is not more complete and 

 more nearly perfect than it is, for it touches him more nearly than 

 it can touch anyone else. It doubtless contains many errors and 

 mistakes, as all the works of man must necessarily be imperfect. 

 But nothing has been written for effect, or from fear or favor, 

 but, first and last, and all the time, to be in the right, and to place 

 things as future students will find to be correct. 



This work is intended for the use and information of all who 

 wish to know about the Diurnals, or Butterflies, of the West 

 Coast, whether beginners or experts. The Author has expended 

 much time and money and has traveled thousands of miles especi- 

 ally to follow up and investigate in their own habitats new or 

 doubtful species, such as Anthochairis Morrisoni, Chionobas 

 Gigas, and Iduna, the Parnassians, and others ; and the results 

 of such work done years ago have always been held in abeyance 

 for the publication of this work ; so that herein are contained the 

 results of investigations made many years ago ; for this book was 

 planned twenty years ago, and everything has been conducted 

 with that idea as a pole star, for all these years. 



The Author, then, sets down these things in all seriousness, 

 and more for the use of coming generations than for the present ; 

 believing that it will be many a long year before another man 

 will devote twenty-five years of the best part of his life to wres- 

 tling with the butterflies of the West Coast ; and believing further 

 that the labor of all these years will result in some good for the 

 student in years to come. 



W. G. WRIGHT. 



San Bernardino, Col., 



May, 1905. 



