MINERAL CONCHOLOGY. . 417 



Captain Harris's discovery of the beautiful new species of Aigoceros, 

 which has recently been purchased by the British Museum ; and his draw- 

 ing and description of this noble antelope, in the last part of the Zoolo- 

 gical Transactions, have rendered his name as a " naturalist" familiar to 

 European zoologists. Whilst yielding to him the full share of praise to 

 which he is entitled, for this interesting addition to the Fauna of South 

 Africa, we cannot think the general aspect of his narrative justifies the 

 Quarterly Review, through the medium of its widely circulating pages, 

 in holding up his volume, for its zoological excellencies, as a pattern to 

 future African explorers. 



Sir James Alexander (the author of the second narrative) went out at 

 the joint expense of the Government and of the Geographical Society ; 

 and though he may not have been puffed in the Quarterly, the value of 

 his discoveries has been acknowledged, in the honor of knighthood being 

 awarded him on his return. 



After witnessing the exciting scenes which must sometimes arise in pe- 

 netrating through parts of the African continent rarely or never previous- 

 ly trodden by European footsteps, we can readily conceive that the ima- 

 gination may become so sensible to impressions, as almost unconsciously 

 to blend, in some distant hour of retrospection, the realities of the jour- 

 ney with the adventurous and oft-repeated tales of the native hunters. 

 But he, who has any sincere regard for the interests of Natural History, 

 will bear in mind that the philosophical zoologist is anxious to acquire 

 every possible information respecting the habits of animals which, in com- 

 paratively little known portions of the globe, come under the notice of 

 the traveller j and that by the exercise of the most scrupulous fidelity 

 in recording facts which really pass under his own immediate observa- 

 tion, he has it in his power essentially to aid the former in the discri- 

 mination of doubtful species, and in the establishment of those genera- 

 lizations, which must ever be the higher objects of zoological science. 

 We trust however that in future African narratives, an author will 

 not be thought to have been deficient in the use of his eyes, or in his zeal 

 for Natural History, even though he may not have brushed a lion from 

 every bush, or heard the noise of the clicking horns of the pseudo rhino- 

 ceros. 



Our geological readers will be gratified to see, by a communication 

 from Mr. James De Carle Sowerby, that he has at length determined on 

 the immediate continuation of the ' Mineral Conchology.' As we have 

 already fully expressed our own opinion upon the general question to 

 which his letter is directed, it is unnecessary that we should now make 

 any further allusion to the subject. We may observe, however, that the 



