The chief drawback to the study of entomology by the outsider has been, until modern times, the dry-as-dust technical terms used in the descriptive work, and the formidable names attached to many of the interesting little creatures, without any information about their habits or life histories. This is not surprising when we know the methods of some of the writers, and the material on which they often worked; namely, specimens obtained from abroad, often in a more or less damaged condition, discoloured and aborted from being squeezed among spirit collections, and with a brief or no record of their native home. This has been all changed since trained students like Darwin, Wallace, Bates, and many others have spent years in the wilds studying zoology under natural surroundings, recording their observations while they made collections, and, with this wealth of material and accurate knowledge, gave such descriptions, that they have led into many new fields of investigation, one of the most important of which is economic entomology. The Economic Entomologist has become more necessary and important every year. His investigations, carried on in the field and insectarium, have not only done much to popularise entomology, but have saved the countries interested untold wealth by the discovery of methods for checking the spread and ravages of injurious insects. The technical description of an insect is not sufficient to satisfy a practical man; he wants to know where it passes the earlier stages of its existence, what it feeds upon, and its place in the insect world. In the open-air study of God’s tiny creatures many pleasant and profitable hours may be spent, and dwellers in the country need never feel time hang heavily on their hands, after they have once had their eyes opened to the wonders of Nature around them. It is the writer’s privilege to know and correspond with a great many busy men and women, scattered all over Australia, who are doing valuable work in collecting specimens, making notes, and seeing both with eyes and brain--true bush naturalists in every sense of the word. In acknowledging my obligations to friends who have helped me in the course of this work, I desire to express my thanks to Mr. Masters for notes on the habits and range of insects, and the examination of specimens in the Macleay Museum; to Messrs. Sloane, Lea, Lyell, R. Turner, Tillyard, Tepper, Kershaw, Dun, Dr. Jefferis Turner, Dr. Goding, and Rev. T. Blackburn for various notes, specimens, and help generally. From Mr. C. French and C. French, Jr., I have had the loan of papers, books, and specimens unobtainable in Sydney, and from Mr. J. J. Fletcher suggestions and references to works in the N.S.W. Linnean Society’s library. Many other correspondents have greatly assisted me in examining and determining specimens--Dr. Horvath, Dr. Forel, M. André, Dr. Sharp, Mr. W. F. Kirby, Mr. C. C. Green, Dr. Silvestri, Dr. Howard, Mr. W. M. Ashmead, and Mr. D. W. Coquillett.