PREFACE. 
IX 
one would imagine that just the majority of collectors would be interested in an order, where in one or 
two cabinets of moderate size a wealth of species could be stored. The present moment appears to be appro¬ 
priate for the publication of a work embracing the less favoured groups of Macrolepidoptera such as the 
Satyridae, Neotropinae, Geometridae, Thyrididae, Limacodidae etc. This may arouse the interest and raise 
the enthusiasm of all those studying the science. It will enable them to take in hand the assorting and 
classifying of all these families, making use of the present comprehensive and systematic work. The study 
of the natural sciences requires books of reference and other requisites, such as are not required for merely 
physical sports and games and as the fashion at present is to indulge in physical and mechanical tests of 
strength, endurance and speech the early completion of the “M acrolepidoptera of the World" 
may help to save and keep alive the interest in the science of Lepidopterology. 
Students of this branch of science must redouble their efforts to render practical work and diffuse 
knowledge and interest in same so long as it remains out of fashion and favour. The editor and publisher 
therefore have spared no effort nor expense to maintain the high standard of the work. Sub-editors and 
collaborators have one and all done their best to aid and further the completion of the task. The fact that 
the progress of the principal work — 24 serial parts per annum — has neither been disturbed nor delayed 
by the publication of a complete volume of the Supplementary Series encourages the editor to hope that in 
the coming year the completion of a further volume may be achieved. World trade and prosperity have 
never been at such a low ebb as at present and one has therefore the right to hope that an improvement is 
in sight. It is of great importance that in spite of the impoverished state of industry, the illustrations have 
not been allowed to deteriorate in any way. A comparison of the first and last plates of the volume will show 
that if anything technical improvements have been made in the portrayal of the figures and the last plates 
are even more accurate and delicately executed than the earlier ones. The reason why the number of illus¬ 
trations appertaining to the last chapters, is not quite so high in relationship to the number of forms men¬ 
tioned in the text, is to be explained by the fact that the groups enumerated on the last sheets mostly 
represent unique types that had gone greasy and were therefore not suited to illustration. In the earlier 
families practically every species was illustrated. Had an attempt been made to remove the grease of the 
specimens mentioned, they might have suffered irreparable damage and in any case there was no guarantee 
that after treatment they would have been fit to have given a true representation of the species. A large 
number of the models are to be found in old collections, where in some cases they have been 100 years 
and even longer. As formerly the means of preservation were very primitive, it appeared doubtful whether 
an illustration based on such specimens, would give satisfaction. 
One of the reasons that has induced us to provide such a liberal abundance of illustrations is the 
deplorable fact that as is common knowledge, unfortunately the means of destruction are constantly being 
increased and developed. This might mean the total destruction of the valuable collections in the Museums 
and archives of science. The danger of a complete destruction of so much labour and effort is removed, or 
at all events the loss to science would not be so irretrievable, if these thousands of recognisable illustrations 
and all the data relating to same, are distributed over the entire world in the manifold copies that are 
circulated everywhere. If for instance on one single plate (No. 50) 72 separate forms of butterflies are illus¬ 
trated for the first time, the value merely as a record, is inestimable. 
We therefore ask our readers to be lenient in their judgment of the shortcomings of this 10th Vol¬ 
ume. Will they please bear in mind that the communication between editor and sub-editors of the separate 
parts was often interrupted and that circumstances sometimes even prevented an exact interchange of views 
and notes. The loss of two of the collaborators whilst their manuscripts were in work, W. Warren and 
R. Peitzner and whose untimely death we greatly deplore, made the transmission of their papers and elab¬ 
oration of their work quite exceptionally difficult. That some of the illustrations, which were often ex¬ 
ecuted from a single known specimen, are not absolutely perfect, should also be excused in view of the 
difficulties we have had to encounter. Often the artists themselves were called up for army service, but 
the greatest loss we suffered in this respect was through the death of the Principal of the firm that had 
undertaken the printing of our plates, Dr. lion, causa Fritz Winter, who fell as a victim of the World War. 
Darmstadt, December 1933. 
Dr. Adalbert Seitz. 
The translation of this Preface was entrusted to Mr Arthur Welti, B’.E.E.S., London. 
