HISTORICAL MAMMAL INCIDENCE IN THE CAPE PROVINCE

2 volumes (903; x, 1121 pages). Quarto. Skivertex. Contents: Volume 1. The western and northern Cape. Volume 2. The eastern half of the Cape Province, including the Ciskei, Transkei and East Griqualand.                                                                                        

A work of great breadth. Over a long period, Skead collated records pertaining to animals in specific areas. He attempted to ascertain which animals were prevalent (and in what numbers) in each area when first described by early travellers and inhabitants, and how the presence of humans altered the figures over time. He has culled the literature for the tiniest reference to even the tiniest mammal! He often needed to decipher the descriptions that were given by the early travellers as they were often contradictory or in terms they could relate to: e.g. "dassies" were sometimes described as "rabbits".