160 Herbert William Oakley. 



as a collector resulted in very numerous additions of spe- 

 cimens in all classes, but especially in that of Birds. In 

 addition to frequent exhibitions of interesting animals at 

 the meetings of the South-African Philosophical Society, 

 Mr. Oakley contributed several papers to that body, and 

 the following were published in its Transactions, vid.: 

 — »On the Habits of some of the Birds of the Trans-Kei« ; 

 »On the Skeleton of the African Darter or Snake-Bird 

 (Plotus Levaillantii)« ; »On the Anatomy and Habits 

 of South-African Snakes« ; »On Peripatus Capensis«; 

 and, lastly, »On the Snake called the Mamba of Natal». 

 He was elected a Member of the Council of the Society in 

 July, 1884. While at Owens College he was entrusted with 

 part of the section relating to the Mammalia in Cassel's 

 large »Natural History«. 



Herbert Oakley was in character most modest and 

 retiring, and his natural ability was rather hidden by his 

 habitual reserve and a certain shyness of manners; but his 

 many good qualities of mind and heart were cordially 

 recognized by those who knew him with any intimacy, and 

 his untimely death was the loss to his friends of a most 

 kindly amiable companion, and to zoology of a skilful and 

 enthusiastic collector and observer. R. T. 



Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, South African Museum, 

 lyth January 1887. 



