An epitome of African zoology

or, a concise description of the objects of the animal kingdom inhabiting Africa, its islands and seas

Abstract

This work is presented as an Epitome of African Zoology, intended to serve as a concise and accessible guide to the animals inhabiting Africa, its islands, and surrounding seas. Authored by Dr A. Smith, M.D., it was commissioned by the South African Literary and Scientific Institution in 1833 to address the significant lack of readily available, organised information on local natural history.

Dr Smith acknowledges that while systematic works on zoology exist, the relevant African data is scattered, making it inaccessible to most individuals in the region. His compilation aims to bring together all available information in a concise and connected form, with the hope of inspiring others to fill the gaps.

The author notes that the details relating to South Africa are "tolerably complete," as they were supplied from Dr Smith's personal observations and research. However, information concerning other parts of Africa is acknowledged to be more deficient, having been gathered from limited sources.

The work employs standard Linnaean taxonomic classification, introducing the method used by naturalists to indicate the dental formula of mammiferous animals using fractional notation (e.g., incisors i44​, canines c11​, molars m55​), and proceeds to describe specific orders and genera, such as the genus Troglodytes (e.g., Troglodytes niger or Chimpanzee). The document thus marks a significant early effort to systematically catalogue and formalise the zoological knowledge of the region based on local observation.