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From the PREFACE. AMONG the many beautiful objects which the student of Nature finds awaiting his attention, the Butterflies will be allowed by most to take a very prominent place, adding as they do another to the many charms of the flower-decked summer-fields. To assist the large and ever-increasing body of naturalists who make Butterflies their pursuit, The Book Of British Butterflies has been written. Though primarily intended for beginners it is not a book for mere collectors only, but one that will assist, it is hoped, those who take up the subject in the true entomological spirit - a spirit that seems to be on the increase at the present day - one that speedily transforms the collector into an observing and experimental entomologist. With this object in view, while a popular style has been employed and abstruse matter has been studiously avoided, the subject has been treated with sufficient fulness, it is hoped, to enable anyone wishing to do so, to work at these insects in all stages of their life-history. It might be thought perhaps that the Butterflies are thoroughly worked out already, but this is quite a mistake, and the lover of this grand division of lepidopterous insects will find that, as in all other cases, the further he goes the more there is to learn. Of the earlier life-history of many species we have very indefinite and unsatisfactory knowledge - of some, indeed, we know scarcely anything, even of the best known our knowledge is none too perfect. In this department then, the aspiring naturalist has a wide field before him-- a fact which he indeed might perceive from the gaps that occur in the present volume. A great feature of this book is the number of illustrations. Most of the figures of the imagines, both upper and under-surface, were made from the author's drawings of the insects, but in some cases they were prepared from photographs taken direct from nature, the insects in the latter case being kindly lent by Messrs. Watkins and Doncaster of 36, Strand. As often as possible the figures of larvae and pupae were drawn from actual specimens; but where these could not be procured assistance was obtained from Buckler's Larvae of the British Butterflies, published by the Ray Society; the larva of Danais erippus was taken from a cut that appeared a few years since in The Entomologist.

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