A CUBAN FISHERMAN. 179 



appears. Unlike some other systematic writers, 

 he exhibits no preference for his own names or 

 subdivisions, but is as ready, if the evidence seems 

 to require it, to smother one of his own species or 

 genera as those of another. His work shows little 

 sign of falling off in quality. The clearness of his 

 judgment and the accuracy of his memory seem 

 unimpaired. It is difficult in conversing with him 

 to realize that he was born in the last century, and 

 that in his earlier studies he was a contemporary 

 of Lamarck, Cuvier, and of Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire. 

 Many men are older at fifty than Poey at eighty-five. 

 Old age and its accompanying infirmities are 

 now narrowing the circle of Professor's Poey's 

 life. His walks seldom extend themselves beyond 

 the confines of his study and the little courtyard, 

 shaded by tropical trees, into which his door opens. 

 Some two hours each day he still devotes to the 

 study of fishes. He eagerly reads every new work 

 on his favorite science, and is as anxious as ever 

 to obtain the freshest ideas on classification, or the 

 latest points in synonymy. As an evidence of his 

 freedom of mind and lack of prejudice I may cite 

 his acceptance of the various scientific theories 

 and conclusions embraced in the name " Darwin- 

 ism," and his general acceptance of the philosophy 

 of evolution as developed by Herbert Spencer, an 

 author far whom he has expressed to me a special 

 admiration. This is the more remarkable when 

 we remember that almost his whole life has been 

 passed in Cuba, a condition where all tendencies 

 of society and of Church are away from such stud- 

 ies and speculations. 



