V R E FA CE. 



FnoM the many additions which have been made by scien- 

 tific Entomologists to the list of British Butterflies, since 

 the publication of the " Aurelian's Pocket Companion," by 

 Harris, in 1775, as well as from the circumstance of that 

 work having long been out of print, and therefore difficult 

 to be procured ; it is presumed that the admirers of this 

 pleasing branch of Natural History, will be interested in 

 the appearance of a " Vade Mecum," which is jiartly 

 extracted from " Haworth'a Lepidoptera," a work of great 

 merit, but which is now not easily obtained. 



It is a frequent subject of complaint, that most of our 

 Vade Mecums, or Introductions to particular Branches of 

 Knowledge, are of a too general or of too scientific a cast. 

 Those of the former, being often designed only for the 

 amusement of children, or having no higher aim than the 

 gratification of the mere general reader, cannot fail to 

 disappoint the expectations which they tend to excite; 

 while those of the latter, usually dry and technical, possess 

 but few attractions, and are consequently thrown aside by 



