PROSPECTUS. 



The Cape of Good Jiope is now acknov^ledged to be one of the greatest avenues as yet opened for the 

 researches of the Naturahst. 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 which it admits the 

 scientific traveller is rich to exuberance in the variety and novelty, both of animal and vegetable life. 



Stimulated by tlie prospect of Discovery in a quarter so fertile in interest, " The Cape of Good Hope 

 Asf-ociation for Exploring Geiit.xil Africa" was established in 1833 ; and in 1886, an Expedition fitted 



by that body, consisting of thii-ty-four persons, and directed by Dr. Smith, after an absence of 

 nineteen months, and penetraing as far as 23° 28' South latitude, returned to Cape Town laden with 

 a variety of curious and inipoitant 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 Gape 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 

 inadcr^uate to defray the expense of laying the result of their labours before the world. Under such 

 circumstances, it was decided that Dr. Smith, tlic 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 oiable 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, while 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 ofi^red, 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 (;r a liich the Society 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 

 quai ter of the Globe. 



dotttitions of ^uibltcatioit. 



The Work will appear periodically ; and it is estlmatod that the' whole 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. Mammalia, Aves, Pisces, Reptilia, and InvertebratjE. 

 The plates of each of these divisions will l)o numbered independently, and the letter-press descriptions left 

 unpaged, so that on the worl being completed, they may be arranged either agreeably to the general classified 

 order which will accompany the last number, or according to the particular views of the purchasers. 



"Hie 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, 



NUMBERS ONE AND TWO CONTAIN TEN COLOURED ENGRAVINGS. 



Price Ten ShiUi}ir/s> Each Numher. 



