20 
INTRODUCTION. 
below from how many sources we have drawn the published informa¬ 
tion of past years and these scattered papers are often very difficult 
to see. The best entomological libraries known to me in India are that 
of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, and of the Pusa Research Institute. 
Of books dealing only with Indian Entomology, the Fauna of India 
is the only systematic one of real value now. It covers Aculeate Hymen- 
optera (2 vols.), a small part of Coleoptera (2 vols.), nearly the whole 
of Lepidoptera (6 vols.), Rhynchota to the end of Jassidse (4 vols.). 
Progress with this is being steadily made and the student should ascer¬ 
tain what volumes have since been issued. They are the standard 
guides to the systematic entomology of India, Burmah and Ceylon and 
are essential in the arrangement and identification of species. West¬ 
wood’s Cabinet of Oriental Entomology is with Donovan’s “ Insects of 
India,” remarkable chiefly for beautiful plates in colour of many striking 
Indian insects, mainly butterflies, moths, large beetles and Fulgorids. 
It is the only book of its kind but is of little value at the present day 
except (in the words of Westwood), “that, by finding its way to the 
table of the Indian drawing room, it may gain additional converts to 
the study of a science full of curiosity and awaken an interest in the 
objects of pursuit, thus supplying an engaging occupation to our Indian 
friends.” 
A very short introduction to entomology is given in ‘ ‘ Indian 
Insect Pests,” which also treats of insects injurious to agriculture. It 
is the only general book on pure entomology relating solely to India 
published recently (1906), and contains short instructions regarding 
necessary apparatus, methods, etc. We assume every reader to have 
as much general knowledge as is included in the first part of that 
volume and in the second appendix. 
Zoo-Geographical Divisions.— British India is not a distinct zoo- 
geographical area, and it is necessary to define very carefully the faunal 
zone that is dealt with in this volume. The “ Fauna of India’ ’ series 
deals with the Fauna of the Indian Empire and Ceylon, i.e., Himalaya, 
Hindustan, Assam, Burmah, Ceylon, regardless of faunal zones, and we 
endeavour here to indicate the zoo-geographical status of this region. 
In the first place, we wish to make clear that a fundamental point 
is elevation ; starting from the plains of North India at an elevation of, 
