The Lepidopterist's Calendar - Giving the Time When the British Lepidoptera Appear in the Egg, Larval, Pupal, and Imago States; With the Food-Plant, and Habitat #232566

The study of Butterflies and Moths (lepidoptera, or scale winged insects), has been much more generally pursued in this country, than that of any other order of the class [72565222. Most of the large towns in England contain one or more students of this attractive order, who take a commendable pride in increasing and improving their collections of specimens 3 while in many of our largest centres of population societies have been established to advance the Science of Entomology, and increase the number of its students. Under the encouragement of Government the study of Science generally has, of late years, been immensely extended. The preference largely given to the Physical Sciences, over the Natural Sciences, is doubtless due to the practical mode in which physics have been taught 3 while the devotees of Nature have been offered little else than theory, as derivable from books. Field Botany, Field Geology, or Field Entomology has, to a large degree, had to be pursued by individual students, at their own discretion, unaided by that light of experiment and demonstration, which, in the hands of good, practical teachers, has so effectively helped forward the student of Physical Science. This is an omission which ought to be supplied, as the pursuit of Field Studies would be an immense benefit to the sedentary populations of our large cities and towns. The favourable reception accorded to the First Edition of the lepidopterist's calendar proved that it supplied, how ever imperfectly, a want that was really felt. The present Edition has been re-cast, re-written, and considerably extended. While largely adding details regarding various species, the Author believes he has carried out several improvements, whichwill make the Work both of wider scope, and of easier reference. The arrangement carried out is that which is now generally adopted in this country. The number of new species added to our Lists Since the publication of the First Edition of the calendar, in 1860, is considerable, and affords a striking proof of the intelligent energy which has been exercised in working out the Lepidoptera. This fact, coupled with the great increase which has taken-place in our knowledge regarding a large number of species, rendered a new edition of the calendar desirable, independent of the fact of its having been for some time out of print, and still in considerable request.