1 68 SCIENCE SKETCHES. 



other has been purchased by the Spanish Govern- 

 ment for ^4,000. It is earnestly hoped by Pro- 

 fessor Poey and his friends that the Government 

 will soon order its publication; but, unfortunately, 

 there seems to be no certainty of this. The manu- 

 scripts and drawings of the '' Ictiologia Cubana" 

 were placed on exhibition by the Spanish Govern- 

 ment in the Exposition of Amsterdam in 1883. 

 In testimonial of their worth. Professor Poey has 

 received from King William III. the decoration of 

 the order of the " Lion Neerlandais." Before this, 

 as the most distinguished of Spanish naturalists, 

 he had received from the King of Spain the title 

 of " Encomendador de la Orden de Isabella la 

 Catolica." 



Among the manuscripts of Poey is one bearing 

 the title of ** Corona Poeyana." This is a list of 

 the species of animals and plants which other natu- 

 ralists have named for him as " Poeyi" or '* Poeya- 

 nus," in friendly recognition of the value of his 

 work. This list is a long one, but the kindly trib- 

 utes which it implies have not been undeserved. 



There is no characteristic of Poey's work more 

 striking than its entire lack of prejudice, or, in other 

 words, the teachableness of the man himself. A 

 certain zoologist was once described to me by Dr. 

 Kirtland as " a little man who could n't be told 

 anything." His character was in this regard just 

 the reverse of that of Professor Poey. Among all 

 the naturalists of our time, I know of none more 

 willing to learn, whatever the source from which 

 information may come. He has no theories which 

 he is not ready to set aside when a better suggestion 



