400 The History of Ichthyology 



fishes being mostly extracted from Bloch and Lacepede. An- 

 other weak compilation for the supposed use of students was 

 the " Ichthyologie Analytique" of A. M. Constant Dumeril. 

 About 1815, Henri Ducrotay de Blainville wrote the " Faune 

 Franchise" and contributed important studies to the taxonomy 

 of sharks. 



With Georges Leopold Chretien Frederic Dagobert Cuvier 

 (1769-1832) and the " Regne Animal arrange apres son Organi- 

 zation" (1817; 1829-30) we have the beginning of a new era in 

 ichthyology. This period is characterized by a recognition of 

 the existence of a natural classification inevitable in proportion 

 to the exactness of our knowledge, because based on the princi- 

 ples of morphology. The "Regne Animal" is, in the history 

 of ichthyology, not less important than the "Systema Naturae" 

 itself, and from it dates practically our knowledge of families of 

 fishes and the interrelations of the different groups. The great 

 facts of homology were clearly understood by Cuvier. Their 

 significance as indications of lines of descent were never grasped 

 by him, and this notwithstanding the fact that Cuvier was 

 almost the first to bring extinct forms into proper relations with 

 those now living. 



Dr. Giinther well says that the investigation of anatomy of 

 fishes was continued by Cuvier until he had succeeded in com- 

 pleting so perfect a framework of the system of the whole class 

 that his immediate successors could content themselves with 

 filling up those details for which their master had no leisure. 

 Indefatigable in examining all the external and internal charac- 

 ters of the fishes of a rich collection, he ascertained the natural 

 affinities of the infinite variety of fishes, and accurately defined 

 the divisions, orders, families, and genera of the class as they 

 appear in the two original editions of the "Regne Animal." 

 His industry equaled his genius; he opened connections with 

 almost every accessible part of the globe ; not only French trav- 

 elers and naturalists, but also Germans, Englishmen, Ameri- 

 cans rivaled one another to assist him with collections; and 

 for many years the Museum of the Jardin des Plantes was the 

 center where all ichthyological treasures were deposited. Thus 

 Cuvier brought together a collection the like of which had never 

 been seen before, and which, as it contains all the materials 



