44 NATURAL HISTORY. 



types which had come under the observation of the authors 

 in their joint travels on the Continent. Thus Cuvier states 

 that it contained many observations on the fishes of the 

 Mediterranean, which were not to be elsewhere obtained ; 

 and one of our highest living authorities (Dr Albert 

 Giinther) has stated that 'it is no exaggeration to say that 

 at that time these two Englishmen knew the fishes of the 

 Continent, especially those of Germany, better than any 

 continental zoologist (' Introduction to the Study of Fishes,' 

 p. 8). It is interesting to note, by way of marking the 

 progress of natural history, that while Aristotle is supposed 

 to have been acquainted with about one hundred and 

 fifteen species of fishes, Ray estimates the total number 

 known to him at about five hundred species. At the 

 present day, on the other hand, naturalists are acquainted 

 with about six thousand species of fishes ; nearly seven 

 hundred species of fresh-water fishes a number greater 

 than the whole of the fishes known to Ray having been 

 recognised as occurring in the single area of tropical South 

 America. 



In addition to the ' Ornithology ' and ' Ichthyology ' of 

 Willughby, Ray published under his own name three 

 Synopses, so as to give a brief conspectus of the entire 

 series of the Vertebrate Animals. The first of these 

 appeared in 1693, with the title, 'Synopsis methodica Ani- 

 malium Quadrupedum, et Serpentini Generis.' This work 

 commences with an introduction dealing with the general 

 characters of animals ; but the bulk of the work is a 

 synoptical account of Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians. 

 The classification of animals here adopted is of interest, 

 as almost the first attempt at a systematic arrangement 



