10 FISHES. 



The work is divided into the following parts : — 



1. In the " Bibliotheca Ichthyologica " Artedi gives a very 

 complete list of all preceding authors who have vn-itten on 

 iishes, with a critical analysis of their works. 



2. The "Philosophia Ichthyologica " is devoted to a descrip- 

 tion of the external and internal parts of fishes ; Artedi fixes 

 a precise terminology of all the various modifications of the 

 organs, distinguishes between those characters which determine 

 a genus and such as indicate a species or merely a variety ; 

 in fact he establishes the method and principles which subse- 

 quently have guided every systematic ichthyologist. 



3. The " Genera Piscium " contains well-defined diagnoses 

 of forty-five genera, for which he fixes an unchangeable 

 nomenclature. 



4. In the " Species Piscium " descriptions of seventy-two 

 species, examined by himself, are given ; descriptions which 

 even now are models of exactitude and method. 



5. Finally, in the " Synonymia Piscium " references to all 

 previous authors are arranged for every species, very much in 

 the same manner which is adopted in the systematic works 

 of the present day. 



Artedi has been justly called the Father of Ichthyology. 

 Linnjeus. So perfect was his treatment of the subject, that even Linn^us 

 could no more improve it, only modify and add to it ; and as 

 far as Ichthyology is concerned, Linnaeus has scarcely done 

 anything beyond applying binominal terms to the species 

 properly described and classified by Artedi. 



Artedi had divided the fishes proper into four orders, viz. 

 Malacopterygii, Acanthopterygii, Branchiostegi, and Chondro- 

 pterygii, of which the third only, according to our present 

 knowledge, appears to be singularly heterogeneous, as it com- 

 prises Balistes, Ostracion, Cydopterus, and LopMus. Linnaeus, 

 besides separating the Cetaceans entirely from the class of fishes 

 (at least since the 10th edition of the " Systema Naturae ") 



