PREFACE 



This book is the first of a series which I hope in due time 

 to have published. 



The monkeys are at the head of the sub-human animal 

 kingdom, so I have taken them first. 



Each group of animals will be dealt with in turn, until 

 a complete history of the animals of South Africa has been 

 produced. 



This volume is written mostly in the form of anecdotes. 

 The animals are made to tell their own stories. 



By adopting this style I hope to interest the minds of 

 our boys and girls, and at the same time to present all that 

 is known to science about the ways and habits of the animals 

 of South Africa. 



I have been encouraged to do this by the large measure 

 of success which attended such efforts in the past, in con- 

 nection with the hterary and lecturing departments of 

 my work as a museum director. In the degree that a 

 writer is able to interest the mind of the reader, so just in 

 that degree will he succeed in impressing the cells of the 

 grey matter of the brain. Unless the teacher succeed in 

 arousing the intelligent interest of his pupil, he can make 

 but little headway. 



I am a strong advocate of books being written in simple 

 language, because they are then easily comprehended by 



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