140 The Life and Writings of 



Rafinesque says of this book : * 



&quot; It would not be proper to praise one s own production, so it 

 must suffice to say that in this classical work (opera classical are 

 described 24 new species of Birds and Reptiles, 51 new genera and 

 154 new species of Fishes, 21 new genera and 188 new species of 

 Plants, terrestrial and marine, all observed in Sicily and undescribed 

 ( tnediti ). It would be rare good fortune to be able to effect else 

 where in Europe such an aggregate of discoveries and new Creatures : 

 nevertheless this is only the least part of the Author s observations, 

 and is simply a prelude to that which he expects to give to the 

 world when the times are more propitious to Science. He has 

 nearly ready for the press a Fauna and Flora of Sicily, both class 

 ical works which will be brought to light as soon as he is appointed 

 to one of the Professorships which he is seeking.&quot; 



One of these professorships was that of the Chair 

 of Botany in the University of Palermo, which had been 

 filled by Professor Tineo. Both Rafinesque and Bivana 

 became candidates, but the choice fell on Tineo s son. 

 The other professorship sought was that of the Chair of 

 Agriculture and Economy, in the same institution. This 

 was finally filled by a &quot;Clerk of a Minister of State&quot;, 

 and Rafinesque never attained the desired preferment. 



16. Indice | d lttiologia Siciliana | ossia | Catalogo Metodico dei 

 Nomi Latini | Italiani, e Siciliani dei Pesci, che | si Rinvengono 

 in Sicilia | Disposti | Secondo un Metodo Naturale | eseguito | 

 da un Appendice che contiene la Descrizione | di alcuni nuovi 



Pesci Siciliani | Illustrate da due Piance. | | Opuscolo 



del Signore | C. S. Rafinesque Schmaltz | - - | Messina j 



Presso Giovanni del Nobolo | Con Approvazzione | 1810. | 



(8vo, pp. 1-70, pi. 2.) 



* Notice of and extracts from this work may be found in fsis, Band 22, 

 Heft 5, pp. 534-538. Leipzig. 1829. 



