Herbert William Oakley 



by 



E. TriiXL en. 



This naturalist, who died very suddenly at Rondebosch. 

 near Cape Town, on the i4the November 1884, was born 

 at Taunton in Somersetshire, in 1848. Early in life he she- 

 wed a streng taste for Natural History, and gained much 

 knowledge of the fauna of his native county. At the age 

 of 22 he became assistant to Professor Boyd Dawkins, in the 

 Museum of the Owens College at Manchester. He retained 

 this Situation until 1877, gaining the esteem and approval 

 both of ,his immediate chief and of Dr. Greenwood, the 

 Principal of the College. In 1877, his desire for experiencing 

 something of the zoological and sporting facilities which 

 South Africa affords led to his joining the Cape Mounted 

 Police. Unfavourable as were the conditions of his life as 

 a trooper in that force, he nevertheless managed to make 

 some very interesting notes on the fauna of the Trans-Kei 

 territory, and to form a good coUection of the birds of that 

 District. At the storming of Moiroxi's Mountain, in Basuto- 

 land, Mr. Oakley greatly distinguished himself, and received 

 most honourable mention in the despatches relating to the 

 affair. It was through the late Sir Bartle Frere, then Go- 

 vernor of the Cape Colony, that Mr. Oakley was enabled 

 to obtain employment more siuted to his training and abilities 

 and was appointed Assistant Curator in the South-African 

 Museum at CapeTown. Heheldthis post until thedateofhis de- 

 cease — a period of over five years. His knowledge of geology, 

 special acquaintance with the vertebrate skeleton, and ma- 

 nual skill in the mounting of osteological specimens, were 

 of great value to the Museum; and his zeal and activity 



