WHEN PREFACE WHEN a few years ago I published "The Butterfly Book," I stated in the preface to that volume that I would follow it by the preparation of a similar work upon the moths of the United States and Canada, provided the reception given that venture should seem to justify me in so doing. "The Butterfly Book" was very favorably received, and not only I, but my publishers, have been besieged with letters from all parts of the continent, urging the fulfillment of the provisional promise made by me in 1898. A prompt compliance with these requests has, however, unfortunately been impossible, owing to the fact that my official duties, which are numerous and exacting, prevent me from devoting any but the evening hours to the work of literary composition. In addition to the difficulties arising from this source, there were other and even greater difficulties which presented themselves. The species of moths known to occur in the United States and Canada vastly exceed in number the species of butterflies found within the same limits. While it was possible to bring together brief descriptions and numerous illustrations of the majority of the species of butterflies found in the region, it became evident at the outset that in dealing with the moths it would be necessary to resort to a different method. It became plain that a process of selection would have to be followed, if the volume were to be kept within proper limits as to size and cost. It would have been comparatively easy to have selected from the abundant material at my command a series of the more showy insects, and to have illustrated these, but as it is the purpose of the series of the books of which "The Moth Book" is one to provide in reasonably compact form manuals which will with tolerable completeness cover the whole field, the plan had to be materially altered. Instead, therefore, of attempting to briefly describe and figure all the thousands of species of moths which have been ascertained to care. occur in North America north of Mexico, the effort was made to select those species which would adequately represent the various families and the commoner and more important genera, thus providing a work which might serve as an introduction to the study. This process of selection had to be made with much patience and Another cause of delay arose from the fact that it is sometimes difficult to obtain perfect specimens for purposes of photographic reproduction. Even where species are well known and common, and are abundantly represented in the collections to which I have access, it has not infrequently happened that it was almost impossible to discover specimens so perfect as to allow of their being reproduced by color-photography in a satisfactory manner. Minor defects, which signify little to a working naturalist, and which can easily be eliminated from sight by a draughtsman, become very serious blemishes when resort is had to methods of photographic illustration. Much time had, therefore, to be spent in searching through various collections for the kind of material which was required, and often in remounting specimens which, while good enough for the cabinet, were not so set as to permit them to be employed in the photographic laboratory. Patience and perseverance, however, always bring in due time their reward, and I have been able to assemble enough properly prepared material to enable me in the main to accomplish my purpose. "Brevity is the soul of wit," and this fact has not been forgotten by the writer in preparing the pages of this book. The limitations necessarily imposed by the space available precluded the preparation of lengthy descriptions. This brevity in description is, however, as the writer believes, abundantly compensated for by the illustrations in the Plates. One good recognizable figure of a species is worth reams of mere verbal description. Those who desire to go deeply into the subject, and who wish to familiarize themselves with all its technicalities, will find in the list of works named in that part of the introduction devoted to the bibliography of the subject much that they desire. I am indebted to many scientific friends for assistance, but to no one am I more indebted than to Dr. L. O. Howard, the Entomologist of the United States Department of Agriculture and the Honorary Curator of Entomology in the United States National Museum, and to his amiable associates, Dr. William H. Ashmead and Dr. Harrison G. Dyar. With unfailing courtesy these gentle. men most generously aided me by allowing me to use the material in the National Collection, when it became necessary to do so, and in many other ways gave me invaluable help. I gratefully acknowledge the kindness of Professor J. B. Smith, of Rutgers College, who very graciously went over the Plates containing the Noctuida, thereby saving me in several instances from errors in determination. My best thanks are due to Mr. William Beutenmüller, the Curator of Entomology in the American Museum of Natural History, New York, for his most obliging courtesy and for much valued assistance. To Mrs. Beutenmüller's facile fingers I owe the frontispiece and many illustrations in the text. To Sir George F. Hampson, of the British Museum, and to the Trustees of that great institution, a debt of gratitude is due for many favors, and especially for permission to use some of the illustrations employed in their publications. From Dr. Henry Skinner, of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, and Mr. Jacob Doll, of the Brooklyn Institute, I received great assistance. To the Messrs. F. A. and H. S. Merrick, of New Brighton, Pa., to Dr. William Barnes, of Decatur, III., and to Mr. O, C. Poling, of Peoria, Ill., I return thanks for the loan of specimens used for illustration. The Honorable Walter Rothschild and Dr. Carl Jordan, of Tring, England, placed me under special obligations by permitting me to see advance proofs of the pages of their great work upon the Sphingida. To all of these gentlemen, as well as to scores of others, who have lent their aid in the preparation of the book, I extend my heartfelt thanks. While recognizing its imperfections, I trust that the volume will accomplish much to quicken an interest, especially among the young people in our schools and colleges, in that beautiful department of scientific inquiry, which it is designed to some extent to illustrate. DIRECTOR'S OFFICE, CARNEGIE MUSEUM, PITTSBURGH, PA. September 8, 1903. W. J. H. |