An elementary manual of New Zealand entomology

A concise introductory guide to the native insect fauna that explains basic anatomy, metamorphosis, and classification before giving practical methods for collecting, preparing, and observing specimens. Separate chapters provide accessible surveys of major orders—beetles, Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, Orthoptera, and Hemiptera—with readable notes on habits, life histories, and identifying characters. Twenty-one colored plates and explanatory captions aid field identification. The text avoids unnecessary technicality and is aimed at beginners and young naturalists, stressing clear terminology, close observation, and the practical pleasures of studying local insect life.