The Lepidopteras of New York and Neighboring States, Primitive Forms Microlepidoptera, Pyraloids, Bombyces (Classic Reprint)

The work which follows is intended primarily to make easier the recognition of the Lepidoptera of the State of New York, and to assemble so far as possible the known data on their life histories, whether published or in the form of notes associated with the various collections. The work is, in a sense, a compilation, but largely of matter never before published. The keys, in particular, are for the most part a new venture, since for many groups of American Lepidoptera none have ever before been worked out; even the published keys to European forms are in need of revision. I cannot hope that my keys are perfect, but rather that, as a contribution in a new field, they may serve as a basis on which to build in the search for further knowledge. The present contribution includes about half the more primitive half of the Lepidoptera. I have accumulated some data on the remainder, but it may be long before my notes are ready to publish. My indebtedness is so general as to make a detailed acknowledgment impossible. Every one I have approached, has helped me, and this means almost every Lepidopterist and the authorities of every considerable museum in the eastern United States. My first and greatest debt has been to the late Dr. John B. Smith, who, at Rutgers, encouraged me to begin such a piece of work, and gave me a great deal of valuable counsel. The signed contributions of Dr. Annette F. Braun and that of Mr. Carl Heinrich speak for themselves. No one else could have worked up the Nepticulidse, the Coleophoridse, and Lithocolletis. I have also been in almost continual consultation with them concerning many other groups where their names do not appear. I have consulted Mr. August Busck on every single group of the Tineids, and in most cases have followed his advice. I made the final draft of this memoir and prepared the drawings in the laboratories of Cornell Univ
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)