FOREWORD 



AT an early stage in the collection of material for the purpose 

 XXof the African Research Survey, it was decided to commission 

 a number of preparatory studies of subjects on which material 

 was not readily available; among other such studies, Dr. E. B. 

 Worthington, a Cambridge Zoologist with experience of respon- 

 sible field work in Africa, was asked to prepare a report on the 

 progress of scientific research which had a bearing on Africa. 

 This work was begun in the autumn of 1933. The first draft 

 appeared to the members of the Committee in charge of the Survey 

 to contain material which merited separate publication, as a 

 supplement to the report of the Survey, and Dr. Worthington was 

 requested to complete his work with this object in view. 



The Survey method was chosen with deliberation. It would 

 have been possible to invite a number of specialists in different 

 countries to contribute summaries of research in their respective 

 branches of science. Since, however, the purpose of the African 

 Survey was to present, within a limited compass, a general review 

 of the many problems involved in a number of different territories, 

 it was felt that an account of scientific activity conceived in similar 

 terms would be more likely to achieve the objectivity, scale and 

 proportions required. 



Such a method has its own disadvantages. The presentation of 

 sciences other than his own by a specialist in one of them will 

 inevitably differ materially from accounts by experts in each of 

 those sciences, particularly if an attempt is made to write for the 

 lay reader. It is not to be expected that all the disadvantages have 

 been successfully avoided. We can, however, point to the fact 

 that this is the first attempt to render some account of the extent 

 to which scientific knowledge and research are being applied to 

 the continent of Africa. 



