SOUTH A'F&ICAN 



QUARTERLY JOURNAL. 



No.;V. OCTOBER. 1831. 



Contributions to the Natural History of South Africa, #c. 

 By Andrew Smith, M.D. M.W.S. &c. 



No. I. 

 Tiifri vas a time, when it required no trifling- degree of con- 

 i.drnce to venture upon introducing a new species, much less a 

 new genus or <rcnera, to the notice of the public ; and much in 

 the tonu of apology to satisfy the vigilant guardians of the 

 older systems, for attempting to interfere with their too in- 

 definite and highly confused divisions. Of late, however, ob- 

 servation, rather than theory, has been the ^uide of the Natural- 

 [ »t; and the simple discovery of a form, not quite akin to any 

 descr.b(d, is now regarded as all that is necessary to warrant 

 the .. ..nation and publication of an additional subdivision. * 

 : The advantages that have resulted from this new, and cer- 

 nly iar iaoie scientific method of proceeding, must have been 

 i,l to have convinced even the most zealous anti- 

 reforraers and the mesi devoted admirers of the earlier classi- 

 fications, that innovation was »ot resoited to before it was 

 absolutely wanted; and every day's experience is forcibly prov- 

 ing, that still farther ramifications are imperatively calhd lor, 

 wherever the studec: of nature-is, with real and acumcn ; ex- 

 tending his research. 



■ th Afiica, it is already known, possesses several forms 

 net tj be satisfactorily classed in anv or the older genera, ai.d 

 numbers more exist, which me oh te as inti^h, if not mere at 

 v^iftr.ce with them, than even those that have already ben 

 dWribed, — some of winch 1 shall now pioceed to notice." 



• In forming new lienern. 1 have general!.) lakeo enre i > n<<i ricu uri-.e it,e 



I, by afiixmic to ibe *;>ecie-i upon whiili it hat Lceu loLi.ed.aa a 



rl ) .jini- ihe word typievi. If mcb a plan tvan lo be ui.itei-kcll} adtfpleJ, 



m»i.y dihr iiii.cn uoulcT L.c obrialed, ui (1 the limits of Genera would t.e mor» 



clearly kepi llia.11 tbej are even at pretest, in cun»eqiicuce .if new to.nu ben.g 



•fieri eoaipa/td with nroote and absent »pecies, from iheir ditcorere » not 



being iicijuainii'd wiiiitlje ti pp of the {Jeo'H. or with «ueh of the upeeien as 



' ara moie nearly allied lo it. To such a* p'nifx ibe or^aus of cooiirucli* e. 



acki, 1 Mou.d sutjesi the diluting of a iMXueupialure, whereby tl>« itUiii* 



• Ibiiitio. of lit tari>u« jpeciew o» a Genus, fiool tie typi^a.' o.n do»..nard», 



a»'(l:i b« iudUatt< Lj iL trivial uamei. 



A 



