PROSPECTUS. 

Tue Cape of Good Hope is now acknowledged to be one of the greatest avenues as yet opened for the 
researches of the Naturalist. Our Colony in that part of Southern Africa is the key to a large portion of 
an extensive continent which is still but very partially explored; and the field to whiclr it admits the 
scientific traveller is rich to exuberance in the variety and novelty, both of animal and vegetable life. 
Stimulated by the prospect of Discovery in a quarter so fertile in interest, “ The Cape of Good Hope 
Association for Exploring Central Africa” was established in 1833; and in 1836, an Expedition fitted 
out by that body, consisting of thirty-four persons, and directed by Dr. Smith, after an absence of 
nineteen months, and pénetrating as far as 23° 28’ South latitude, returned to Cape Town laden with 
a variety of curious and important specimens in Natural History, &c. 
Previously to this period little information has been furnished, in a shape calculated to enable the 
public to form accurate ideas of the various animated beings by which these regions are inhabited. The 
splendid publication of Le Vaillant, no doubt, should be mentioned as forming an exception, pro tanto ; 
but this includes only a portion of the Birds of the most southern extremity of the country, and a work 
therefore extensive enough to comprehend the various departments of Zoology is still a desideratum. 
The Members of The Cape of Good Hope Association for Exploring Central Africa found themselves, 
on the return of the recent Expedition, in a situation to supply at least some portion of the existing 
deficiencies ; but their funds, even if it had been possible to divert them to such an object, were altogether 
inadequate to defray the expense of laying the result of their labours before the world. Under such 
circumstances, it was decided that Dr. Smith, the director of the Expedition, should be authorised, on 
his arrival in England, to wait upon Lord Glenelg, for the purpose of making him acquainted with 
the position and views of the Society, in the hope that Government might be induced to assist in the 
publication of their materials. 
This hope has not been disappointed. At the recommendation of the Secretary of State for the 
Colonial Department, the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury have been pleased, by a 
pecuniary grant, to enable the Society to publish the result of its labours, without infringing upon the 
funds raised solely for the purposes of discovery ; and in a form which, whilé it places the work 
within reach of most of the friends and promoters of science, will not, it is hoped, be found inconsistent 
_ with the interest and importance of the subject. 
The materials for the work now offered, under such patronage, to the public, will consist of pictorial 
illustrations of between three and four hundred subjects of the animal kingdom, all of which have been 
collected to the south of 23° 28’ South latitude ; and will comprise, 
First, and principally, unknown animals ; 
Secondly, animals known, but not yet figured ; and 
Lastly, such as have been imperfectly figured ; but of which the Society i is in possession of accurate 
drawings. 
The Entomological portion of the work will be from the pen of W.S. Macleay, Esq., who has 
kindly undertaken that department. The rest of the descriptions will be furnished by Dr, Smith, who 
will add a summary of African Zoology, and an inquiry into the Geographical ranges of species in that 
quarter of the Globe. 
- Conditions of Publication. 
The Work will appear in periodical parts, price ten shillings each ; and it is estimated that it will be 
completed in about thirty-four parts. As it will be necessary that the plates be published promiscuously, 
they will be arranged in five divisions, viz. Mammarra, Aves, Pisces, Reprivia, and INVERTEBRATA. 
Fhe plates of each of these divisions will be numbered independently, and the letter-press descriptions left 
unpaged, so that on the work being completed, they may be arranged either agreeably to the general classified _ 
order which will accompany the Jast number, or according to the particular views of the purchasers, 
y e »* 

ernrene sen 

; : ‘ * 
The whole of the Plates will be engraved in the highest style of Art, from Drawings taken expressly 
for this Work, and beautifully coloured after Nature. 
THE FIRST PART, CONTAINING TEN ENGRAVINGS, WAS PUBLISHED ON THE Isr JULY, 1838, 
Price Ten Shillings. 
ae 
Oe ey 

> 
a. 


‘ 
es 
