EABLY ORNITHOLOGISTS. 379 



perhaps the finest zoological genius that Italy has produced. 

 That may seem a strong thing to say, for Italian ornithologists 

 are men of high culture ; Aldrovandi was at least the first of the 

 race of ornithologists who have conferred so much honour on 

 Italy. He was nobly born, but was only five years old when 

 a fever carried off his father in his thirty-fourth year. The 

 education of the family thus became the care of the young widow 

 Veronica, who showed a wise discretion in the management of 

 her fatherless children. Ulysses was the flower of her little 

 flock, for he possessed " un vivacissimo talento, ed un particolar 

 genio agli studi, corrispose mirahilmente alia brama ed attenzione 

 7naterna.'^ He was at first intended to follow mercantile pur- 

 suits, but his natural bent asserted itself, and eventually he 

 obtained the professorship of natural history in the University 

 of Bologna. 



Having thus referred in brief to the youthful vicissitudes and 

 later triumphs of the four great naturalists of the Renaissance, 

 it is right that we should attempt to supply a slight sketch of 

 what they did for ornithology. 



Turner wrote as early as 1544, and he supplied a trustworthy 

 account of the species of birds which he knew to be found in or 

 to be absent from England. He added many details of their 

 habits, and recorded their provincial names. He also aided his 

 zoological brethren on the Continent, especially Gesner, who 

 warmly and impulsively records the great assistance he had 

 received from the most accomplished English naturalist of the 

 day. Pierre Belon was shown a specimen of the Siskin which 

 had been sent to his friend Antoine Martinell by " M. Turnerus 

 medecin Angloys." Turner was a scholar of no mean ability, and 

 his active mind was always pondering over Aristotle. When his 

 boat was becalmed off the Dutch coast, he consoled himself for 

 enforced delay by an endeavour to decide whether the " white 

 semau wuith a black cop " that hovered round the little ci:aft was 

 the " Cepphus " of his favourite author. Turner had a sadly 

 chequered career, and died a disappointed man ; but his widow 

 made a good second marriage. If the suffering which lined his 

 brow with furrows and abridged his life was bred of his 

 fiery intolerance of the views of others, at any rate he was a 

 martyr to his convictions, and should be held in the highest 



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