18 Bulletin American Miiscutn of Natural History. [Vol. XXVII, 



the binomial system of nomenclature and the recognition of the species in 

 general as a supposedly objective reality and the unit of classification. 

 The form of Ray's specific definitions seems, however, to imply that the 

 term "species" in Ray's mind was often more a "differentia," or specific 

 adjective modifying the generic concept than a fully developed substantive 

 name, and Ray evidently did not realize the convenience of applying the 

 binomial method of nomenclature universally. 



The culmination of Ray's studies on animals was the 'S\aiopsis Metho- 

 dica Animalium Quadrupedum et Serpentini Generis', published in 1693, 

 a brief work as the word "Synopsis" implies, but one of the great land- 

 marks in the history of Vertebrate Zoology. 



The scope of this work may be indicated by reprinting the 'Animalium 

 Tabula generalis' (op. cit., p. 53) and the 'Animalium Viviparorum Quad- 

 rupedum Tabula' (op. cit., pp. 60-61). 



Animalium Tabula generalis. 

 Animalia sunt vel 

 Sanguinea, ^aque vel 



Pulmone respirantia, corde ventriculis prsedito, 

 Duobus 

 f Vivipara 

 f Aquatica ; Cetaceiun genus 



■j Terrestria, Quadrupedia, vel ut Manaii etiam complectamur, pilosa. Ani- 

 I I malia hujus generis amphibia terrestribus annumeramus. 



[ Ovipara Aves. 



Unico, Quadrupedia vivipara ['] & Serpentes. 

 . Branchiis respirantia, Pisces sanguinei praeter Cetaceos omnes. 

 .Exanguia. 



Animalium Viviparorum Quadrupedum Tabula. 



Animalia Vivipara pilosa seu Quadrupeda sunt, vel 

 Ungtdata, edque vel 

 Movo'xTiXa, i. e. Solidipeda, Equus, Asinus, Zebra. 

 Ai'xTiXa, i. e. Bisulca seu ungula bifida, quae vel 

 Ruminantia, M.y\pvyij6.%ovTa., cornibus 



r 1. Bovinum. 

 f Perpetuis, quorum tria sunt genera \ 2. Ovinum. 



1 3. Caprinum. 

 Deciduis, Cervinum genus. 

 Non ruminantia, Genus Porcinum. 

 T€Tpax^^a. seu Quadrisulca, Rhinoceros,[Hippopotamus etc. 

 . Unguiculata, quae pede sunt vel 

 [ Bifida, duobus dimtaxat unguibus donato, Camelinum genus. 

 \ Multifido, -iroXvxiSf , quae vel sunt 



1 Apparently this is a typographical error, or at most a lapsus calami, for "ovipara," 

 compare op. cit., page 51, where the reptiles are described thus: "Cor unico ventriculo instruc- 

 tum habent Quadrupedia Ovipara & Serpentinum genus." 



