RISE AND PROGRESS OF ZOOLOGY. 19 
the customs of the natives, — studied and ana- 
lysed their language, — made astronomical observ- 
ations, and evinced, in short, the possession of all 
that varied knowledge which we should only look 
for in an accomplished traveller of this century. 
Such a man was worthy of so great a patron; and 
he must be considered as by far the most emi- 
nent naturalist of the era in which he lived. On 
looking back to the history of our science from the 
revival of letters, it will be observed that nearly all 
who had contributed to its advancement were little 
better than voluminous compilers ; who, to a scanty 
stock of original information, superadded a pon- 
derous load of ancient lore, gathered from the fables 
of Pliny, and the credulous writers who followed 
him: they seemed to think that the value of their 
works would be estimated by their bulk, or they 
were probably deterred from prosecuting original 
research, by their veneration for antiquity. This 
school, which had been founded by Pliny, seems to 
have expired with Mouffet; for in Marcgrave and 
Bontius we have the first specimens of local faune, 
or natural histories of particular regions. Our own 
country followed this example; for in 1667 appeared 
the Pinax of Dr. Merrett*, the first work that was 
devoted exclusively to the animals and plants of 
Great Britain. It is written in Latin; and although 
very curious in its way, is yet a very imperfect per- 
formance, for there are no specific names, and the 
* Pinax Rerum Naturalium Britannicarum, continens Ve- 
getabilia, Animalia, et Fossilia, in hac Insula reperta inchoatus, 
Lond. 1667. 
Cog, 
