2S8 REVIEWS, 



XXX. — The Fauna of Equatorial Africa. 



Such interest has been excited concerning the merits of M. Du 

 Chaillu's discoveries in Western Equatorial Africa, and so much dis- 

 cussion has taken place upon the subject, that, although that gentle- 

 man's volume of " Explorations and Adventures," has perhaps no 

 great claim to be considered a scientific work, we have been induced to 

 devote some pages of this Journal to its examination, and to take the 

 opportunity of making a few general remarks on the present state of 

 our knowledge of the Mammals and Birds of the Gaboon country, 

 and of the adjacent portions of Western Africa.* 



As M. Du Chaillu himself tells us, he formerly resided at the 

 Erench fort on the Gaboon river, as a- trader, and there " gained his 

 first knowledge of Africa, and his first acquaintance with the Gaboon 

 tribes." During this period, however, which was antecedent to that 

 spoken of in the narrative of his adventures, M. Du Chaillu was 

 not altogether idle in the cause of Natural History. By reference 

 to the pages of the " Proceedings of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia," it will be found, that a collection of birds 

 was received from him during the year 1855. Mr. John Cassin f has 

 given us an account of the new species contained in this series, and 

 at the same time, has taken the opportunity of remarking that M. Du 

 Chaillu's " discoveries in Zoological and Geographical Science were 

 in a high degree important and interesting." As Mr. Cassin's name 

 may be not so well known to all classes of our readers, as it is to 

 those who have paid particular attention to Ornithology, it may be, 

 perhaps, as well to mention, that his reputation stands deservedly 

 high amongst those of living naturalists, who have devoted their 

 chief attention to the class of Birds, and that, in the particular sub- 

 ject of West African Ornithology, his authority ranks next to that of 

 Dr. Hartlaub of Bremen, the title of whose masterly work on this 

 subject, we subjoin. 



On his return to America in 1855, it appears that M. Du Chaillu 

 received such encouragement, as induced him to determine to continue 

 his explorations in the Gaboon country. On turning to page 410 of 



* We shall have occasion to refer, chiefly, to the following works: — 



System tier Ornithologie Westafrica's, von Dr. G. Hartlaub, Bremen, 1857. 



Catalogue of Birds collected on the Rivers Camma and Ogobai, Western 

 Africa, by Mr. P. B. Du Chaillu, in 1858, with notes and descriptions of new 

 Species. By John Cassin. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of 

 Philadelphia for 1859, pp. 30, 91, 133, 172. 



Descriptions of new Mammals from Western Equatorial Africa. By P. B. 

 Du Chaillu. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, Vol. vii. pp. 

 296 and 358. 



Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa. By Paul B. Du Chaillu. 

 London, 1861. 



f See Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1855, 

 p. 324. 



