40 THE NEW BIOLOGY 



PIEREE BELON 



1517-1564 



Lea observations de plusieurs aingularitez et ohoses mdmorables trouv^es en 

 Grece, Asia, Jud^e, Egypte, Arabia et autras pays estranges redig^es en trois 

 livres. 4to. Paris. 1553. 



L'Histoire naturelle des estranges poissons marine, avao la vraie painture et 

 description du dauphin. 4to. Paris. 1551. 



De aquatilibus libri duo cum iconibus ad vivam aorum effigiam. Sm. oblong 

 8vo. Paris. 1553. Three editions of a French translation, in folio, quarto 

 and octavo, appeared in 1555. One is entitled " La nature et diversity des 

 Poissons, aveo leurs pourtraiots, &e. '' Sm. obi. 8 vo. 



L'Histoire de la nature des Oyseaux, aveo leurs descriptions at naifs por- 

 traicts retirez du naturel. Fol. Paris. 1555. 



Some twenty years after the revival of botany 

 naturalists began to describe and figure direct from 

 the objects the fishes and birds of Europe. Zoological 

 research may have been a little retarded by the absence 

 of that professional motive which impelled physicians 

 to examine closely their native plants. The facilities 

 afforded by the markets, together with the special 

 knowledge handed down, generation after generation, 

 by fowlers, falconers and fishermen, had no doubt their 

 effect in deciding what animals should first be taken in 

 hand. Belon tells us how, when dwelling in foreign 

 cities, he used to study the birds and fishes which were 

 brought to market. During his stay in Padua he was 

 accustomed to leave home every Thursday evening and 

 travel all night by boat, so as to reach Venice next 

 morning. There he stayed on Saturday and Sunday, 

 employing his time with observation of birds and fishes, 

 and discourse with fowlers and fishermen. On Sunday 

 night he took boat again, and was back at his studies 

 by Monday morning. Nothing is said about personal 

 observation of live birds and fishes, but this was not 

 neglected when opportunities ofiered. 



