THERE is an especial debt of gratitude which we owe to Jean Henre Fabre. Not only have we to thank him for his great scientific work which has extraordinarily enriched man's knowledge of the insect world, but we have to thank him for making the precious store accessible to all of us.

Fabre is a phenomenon in the world of science. He has been called "the insect's Homer." He is a great writer and his books are literary as well as scientific masterpieces. Rarely is this happy fusion attained.

It is a pleasure therefore to add "The Life of the Caterpillar"—one of his most characteristic works—to the Moden Library. It tells the strange story of the most crucial and adventurous period in the life of our most beautiful flying insects—the caterpillar stage.