PREFACE. 
Tur object of this volume is to furnish descriptions of all the 
species of Trnurna (a group of Lerrpoprera) at present known 
to inhabit Great Britain, and at the same time to give as much 
information concerning their habits and transformations as the 
limited space would allow. ach species is carefully described 
from actual specimens, and each genus is founded on the micro- 
scopical investigation of all (or nearly all) the species comprised 
in it. In some few instances, to avoid a premature multiplication 
of genera, species are placed in a genus though not quite agreeing 
with its essential characters; in such cases care has been taken 
to point out wherein these differences consist, so that, should the 
further progress of the science require the creation of new genera, 
this will be facilitated by the details here given. The habits 
noticed are in most instances the result of personal research, al- 
though advantage has been taken of the observations of others 
where there was no doubt to what species they were intended to 
apply. The transformations of the species, from their great va- 
riety, offer an endless field of amusement ; and my object being 
to give full but concise details, general observations thereon are 
placed at the commencement of each genus. In every case where 
no observations occur concerning the larva of a species, it must 
be understood that we are still unacquainted with it. As a rule, 
