PREFACE. 
I LEAVE this work in the hands of British entomologists, with the 
following observations : — 
I. — That its object is to give as much information as possible in the 
smallest possible space. I have endeavoured to attain this by giving 
accurately drawn and coloured figures of every species, accompanied by 
descriptions, condensed as far as is consistent with usefulness. For the 
same reason the general remarks on the larger divisions of families and 
genera are no longer than is absolutely necessary to convey the requisite 
amount of information. It is not intended to be an exhaustive treatise, 
including anatomical or physiological details ; but is purely zoological 
in its aim. 
II. — Its primary object is to deal with the Ehopalocera of Europe. All 
descriptions, therefore, of non-European species are to be taken as entirely 
supplementary, and not as aiming at anything like completeness. These 
additional notices of non-European Palaearctic species have not been by 
any means easy to prepare, on account of the impossibility, in many cases, 
of examining actual specimens. The original descriptions being scattered 
through various works in various languages, to collect them has been a 
matter involving the expenditure of considerable time, and has delayed the 
completion of the work longer than was at first expected. To prevent 
further delay I am obliged to omit from the text the description of some 
species recently discovered in the hitherto unworked regions of Central 
Asia ; but at the end of the book will be found a list of the Ehopalocera ot 
the Palasarctic region, including, I believe, all the species known up to the 
present date, though it must be remembered that new ones are being 
constantly added. 
III. — Of a still more supplementary nature must be regarded the very 
short notices, or even mere mention, of Nearctic species. They are to be 
taken solely in the light of notes, designed to draw the reader’s attention 
to the great similarity between the butterflies of the northern and temperate 
regions of the Old and New Worlds, and thus to assist him in widening his 
field of observation. These additions are not noticed in the index of names, 
so that their interference with the general plan of the work will be avoided. 
