The Moths of the British Isles, First Series / Comprising the Families Sphingidæ to Noctuidæ

Compared with our butterflies, the number of moths found in the British Isles is very large. Like the butterflies, moths too are dependent upon plant life, and almost every kind of herb, bush, or tree, will be found to nourish the caterpillars of one or more species of moth.
Not only the field botanist, but every rambler in the country must constantly come across moths or caterpillars that will probably interest him, and of which he would be glad to learn something about their habits, life-history, and the position they occupy in the arrangement and classification of Natural History objects.
In the preparation of this little book on our moths, the author has proceeded closely on the lines adopted when dealing with the butterflies in his previous volume. That is, the chief aim has been to place before the nature lovers as much information concerning these creatures as could be condensed into moderate limits.
Lengthy descriptions were out of the question, but what might be considered an omission in this way, is amply compensated for by the life-like portraits of typical examples of the moths themselves, and in many cases of their more important varieties. Technicalities have been avoided as far as possible, the main object being to provide a guide to the identification of our moths, together with a simple account of the whole or a part of their earlier stages.
The author is fully aware that this method of treatment only enables him to touch the fringe of the subject, as it were, but he has been content to deal with it in this way, as it appeared to be the kind of information that would most nearly meet the requirements of the majority.
Except where otherwise mentioned, the illustrations of moths and caterpillars at rest are from photographs by A Forester.
RICHARD SOUTH.
A new edition of this volume having become necessary, it was deemed a fitting opportunity to bring the subject matter somewhat in line with our present knowledge of the Nomenclature, Habits, and Distribution of the Species considered therein. With this end in view, the new facts have been incorporated in the text so far as this was possible. Matter that could not be accommodated in this way has been presented in the form of an Appendix.