THE MONTHLY REVIEW. OCTOBER, 1838. ART. I. 1. Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa: together with a Summary of African Zoology, and an Inquiry into the Geographical Ranges of Species in that Quarter of the Globe. By A. SMITH, M.D., &c. &c. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1838. 2. Narrative of an Expedition of Discovery into the Interior of Africa, in 1837. By CAPTAIN ALEXANDER. 2 vols. London: Colburn. 1838. THE Zoology and geography of large regions of Africa will be made known, for the first time in Europe, by these works. With regard to zoology this quarter of the globe (its Southern division in particular) seems to be amazingly rich, whilst the specimens are remarkably characteristic and beautiful of their kind. Such, at least, is Dr. Smith's representation, who is undoubtedly a high authority; and his Illustrations, descriptive and pictorial, fully substantiate this view. In truth a more magnificent contribution to natural history we have never perused nor beheld; that is to say, judging from the First and Second Parts which have already appeared. Before, however, speaking of the particular contents of the portions published, it is proper that we should give some account of the origin, the design, and the arrangement of the work. In 1836, a Society denominating itself "The Cape of Good Hope Association for exploring Central Africa," fitted out an expedition for the purpose of penetrating the southern division. This expedition numbered thirty-four persons, the whole being superintended by Dr. Smith. The explorers, after an absence of nineteen months, and after having reached to a point about ten geographical degrees from the Cape, returned, "laden," it is said, "with a variety of curious and important specimens in.natural history," the present publication containing the choicest portions of the treasures thus accumulated. The work is to "consist of pictorial illustrations of between three and four hundred subjects of the animal kingdom," these illustrations comprising not only specimens of animals which have before been figured, though imperfectly, and others which have been known but never figured at all, but also, (and this is the chief and most anxiously executed feature in the contribution,) newly discovered, VOL. In. (1838.) No. 11. M previously unknown animals, in as far as modern naturalists are concerned. The pictorial representations fall under five different heads, published at first promiscuously, viz.—mammalia, aves, pisces, reptilia, and invertebrata: and the letter-press, (the work is upon a large 4to. scale,) which is a model, even at the present day, of typography, is unpaged, to suit different tastes; so that each purchaser, when the whole is completed, may arrange and bind up the plates in the order he deems best. There is to be an appendix, which will be particularly interesting to unscientific readers, and which is to treat of the character and habits of the animals, the geographical ranges of species, &c., in Africa. In the meanwhile the descriptive matter gives an account of the form, colour, &c. of each individual, variety, or species, that is spoken of; together with the remarkable circumstances which attended every discovery. Each Part of the work presents ten plates, and when we add, that each plate, so far as we have been as yet enabled to form a judgment, is of itself a beautiful and remarkable picture, quite entitled and calculated to maintain a framed attitude in a pictorial exhibition, or to grace an amateur's cabinet; in so far as artistic skill is concerned, we have not expressed half of that admiration which every one will experience the moment his eye alights upon the specimen. The creatures absolutely live and are conscious, some of them proud of having life, one is forced to feel; which is the strongest evidence that the persons who took their portraits caught the precise characteristics of the subjects with uncommon exactitude. The greater number of the ten plates in the first part represent specimens that are new. Of these the most strikingly beautiful and gay is the Pterocles Gutteralis. It is impossible to convey anything like a correct notion of its lovely and variegated plumage by verbal description; nor, indeed, of the contour, the shape, the proportions, or the bearing, so to speak, of any of the animals represented, without ocular examination. But that we may not pass over the part of these Illustrations which first appeared without turning to some of the information which it contains, as well as some of the probabilities which it suggests, we shall extract two distinct pas sages. One of the remarkable, and for the first time described specimens here represented, is that of the Rhinoceros Keitioa, a variety much farther removed from ruggedness of form than the comparatively familiar Rhinoceros Bicornis. It is a very extraordinary circumstance that the second horn of the Keitloa bears no very remote resemblance to that which is made to distinguish the (fabled ?) unicorn. Fabled '-did we interpose with a symbol of doubt? Why, from what follows, we are led to expect that the coat-of-arms of our beloved Sovereign will not much longer be subject to the charge of displaying a barbaric monstrosity of device in one of its supporters.. While in the neighbourhood of the Tropic, we heard of two other species of the genus, which exist still further to the northward; but, unfortunately, could not obtain any very circumstantial evidence concerning them, as the persons who had seen them were only on a visit in the country they inhabit. One of them was stated to approximate the Keilloa; the other was described as very different to any species previously seen by them, and to have only one long horn towards the forehead. Now, though descriptions of objects furnished by such persons are often inaccurate, from the circumstance of their not having been favourably situated for making correct observations, as well as from a deficiency of language calculated to convey the information they actually possess, I have always remarked that even a hasty examination seemed to supply the savage with more accurate notions of the general characters of animals than it did the civilized man, and therefore I do not despair of species such as they mentioned being yet discovered. "It is in regard to the species with the single horn that we experience the greatest hesitation in receiving their evidence as credible; and therefore it is agreeable to have it corroborated by the testimony of a man from a very different part of the country, as obtained and published by a missionary of great research who resided a long time in Madagascar. The individual who furnished Mr. Freeman with the account of the Ndzoo-dzoo was a native of the country northward of Mozambique; and, if we admit certain portions of the descriptions to be tainted with errors, we can recognize in the remainder the genuine habits of a rhinoceros, and probably one of the species with which our informants were slightly acquainted. 'It appears,' observes Mr. Freeman, that the Ndzoo-dzoo is by no means rare in Makooa. It is about the size of a horse, extremely fleet and strong. It has one single horn projecting from its forehead, from twentyfour to thirty inches in length. This is flexible when the animal is asleep; it can be curled like the trunk of the elephant, but becomes perfectly firm and hard when the animal is excited, and especially when pursuing an enemy. Its disposition is extremely fierce, and it universally attacks man if it sees him. The usual method of escape adopted by the natives is to climb up a dense and high tree, so as to avoid, if possible, being seen. If the animal misses his sight of the fugitive, he immediately gallops off to his haunt; from whence it may be inferred that he is not endowed with the power of a keen scent. Should he, however, espy his object in the tree, wo to the unfortunate native: he begins to butt with his horns, strikes and penetrates the tree, and continues piercing it till it falls, when his victim seldom escapes being gored to death. he never fails in breaking it down. him without devouring the carcase. horn. The female has not any thing Unless the tree is of a large girth, Having killed his victim, he leaves The male only is provided with the of the kind.'" We have already alluded to Africa as being an immense zoological world. If we bear this in mind, and if the following conjectures be correct, the day may not be far distant when some fearless band of explorers will alight upon the largest magazine of wild beasts that ever congregated at once, since the day when Adam gave them their respective titles, or that on which Noah housed them. The present species, (Rhinoceros bicornis,) under the name of Rhinoster, has been familiarly known to the colonists of the Cape of Good Hope ever since 1652. In that year, when the Dutch first formed their settlement on the shores of Table Bay, this animal was a regular inhabitant of the thickets which clothed the lower slopes of Table Mountain. The abandonment of those spots by this animal as a measure of safety probably constituted the commencement of a forced migration, which has continued to extend ever since, and which has led not only to the disappearance of the species from the districts within the present colonial limits, but also in a great measure to its removal from countries beyond those limits, as far as hunters efficiently armed are accustomed to resort. If a system such as has hitherto prevailed continues to exist, and the larger animals persevere in flying to avoid the effects of fire-arms, the time may arrive when the various species which formerly may have been scattered, each in a peculiar locality of a large continent, will be huddled together; and indeed an advance towards that period is in progress, as may be inferred from the concentration which is at present taking place in the interior of South Africa. Though many of the individuals which inhabited the countries where now not a single rhinoceros is to be seen, were doubtless destroyed, yet it is equally certain that many others escaped, and thereby assisted in adding to the accumulation which is in progress in other localities. Until lately the present was the only species of the genus which was known to be receding from its native country, but of late another has been led to a like course; and the Rhinocerus Simus, which but a few years ago was common in the neighbourhood of Latakoo, has, since the more general introduction of fire-arms into that country, almost entirely ceased to approach within a hundred miles of it." The first figure in the second part is that of a very pretty animal of the kind, a Hedge-hog, the Erinaceus Frontalis, which was obtained in the districts around Old Latakoo. It is reported to be very rare. Then comes a most agile and lightsome-looking creature, the Herpestes Badius, a species that differs very considerably from the Herpestes Ruber of Desmarest. Another new species is to be figured in the course of these Illustrations. The only other specimen of Mammalia in this second number, is that of the Scuirus Cepapi, a beautiful Squirrel which was discovered upon the banks of the Limpopo river. When found on the ground, its flight was effected with amazing rapidity, and the perpendicular ascent of a tree was performed with equal facility. Then follow six plates of Aves, more or less remarkable on account of their plumage, their habits, the novelty, and the manner in which they were discovered or studied. Thus we have the Prionops Talacoma, a new species, the Crateropus Jardinii, another novelty, it would appear; and others, no doubt equally interesting to naturalists. But as general notifications cannot convey either to scientific or unscientific readers any satisfactory information, we shall have recourse, as before, to a few unabridged particulars which every one will understand, and feel to be illustrative of wonderful design in the Creator and Governor of the Universe. Of the Philetarus Lepidus, part of it a drab brown, other parts of it a darkly freckled little bird, we are told, that "The most striking peculiarity observed in the species, is the extraordinary manner in which a number of individuals associate, and build their nests under a common roof. When a nestling place has been selected, and the operation of building the nests is to be commenced ab initio, the community immediately proceed conjointly to construct the general covering which interests them all; that being accomplished, each pair begins to form their own nest, which, like the roof, they construct of coarse grass these are placed side by side against the under surface of the general covering, and by the time they are all completed, the lower surface of the mass exhibits an appearance of an even horizontal surface, freely perforated by small circular openings. They never use the same nests a second time, though they continue for many years attached to the same roof. With the return of the breeding season, fresh nests are formed upon the lower surface of those of the previous year, which then form an addition to the general covering. In this manner they proceed, year after year adding to the mass, till at last the weight often becomes such as to cause the destruction of its support, upon which a new building-place is selected. They appear to prefer constructing these nests upon large and lofty trees. * The com mencement of the roof is firmly interwoven with the branches of the trees to which it is intended to be suspended; and often a great part of a principal branch is actually included within its substance." * * Con When speaking of the Merops Bullockoides, a Parrot-plumaged bird, Dr. Smith says-" From observations I have had occasion to make, I think it probable that the migrations, both of birds and quadrupeds, will be found often to depend more upon causes which have hitherto been comparatively overlooked, than upon any absolute deficiency of food in the countries from whence they retire. nected with this opinion, I may instance the circumstance of a species of swallow, which inhabits the mountains of the Cape Colony during the summer months, repairing in the winter to the vicinity of houses left, by another species, on the approach of the cold season. It there finds food sufficient for its support, till the other species, gifted with more vigorous powers of flight, and a superior courage, returns and drives it back again to situations which it had for a time abandoned." The calls for food joined to the influences of climate, and these causes modifying each other, might account for such phe nomena. The last plate in the Second Part represents a specimen of the Reptilia, the Echidna Inornata, a snake which is described by Dr. Smith as indolent, and heedless of man. When we come to Captain Alexander's volumes, we shall hear something more of this formidable division of animals, and indeed his zoological facts and notices are not only very numerous but various. Still, that we may not mingle the descriptions and anecdotes furnished by the two travellers |