46 



MEMORIALS OF RAY 



Soon after these theological pieces were published, the 

 ' Synopsis Methodica Animalium Quadrupedmn/ &c., 

 was ready for the press and sent to London, and given to 

 the printers in January 1692, and by them finished in 

 June following, 1693. Eor the writing of which history, 

 the world is obliged to the often before commended Dr. 

 Tancred Robinson, who, well knowing Mr. Ray's great 

 abilities, and how acceptable and serviceable his ' Synopsis 

 of Plants,' and his method of birds and fishes had been, 

 thought a synopsis methodica of all animals, and indeed 

 of fossils, and in short of all nature, would be of very 

 great use ; and, therefore, he put him upon this work. 

 Bat a synopsis of this amplitude being too operose for 

 one time, and such as would make a volume much too 

 bulky for the pocket, Mr. Ray, therefore, first set upon 

 the quadruped and serpent tribe ; and having dispatched 

 that, he set about a ' Synopsis of Birds and Fishes,' 

 which having likewise dispatched, he sent it to Dr. Tan- 

 cred Robinson, on February the 29tb, 1693-4, who took 

 all possible care to have it speedily printed, which was 

 faithfully promised ; but, either by the sloth or careless- 

 ness of the booksellers, who had gotten the copy, and had 

 paid but a small matter for it, or for what other reasons 

 is uncertain, they could not be prevailed upon to print it, 

 notwithstanding threats, as well as entreaties and per- 

 suasions, were used to induce them to it ; and so it lay 

 suppressed for many years, insomuch as the copy was 

 thought to have been destroyed or lost. But after Mr. 

 Ray's death, Mr. Innys (who had purchased those book- 

 sellers' stock) happening to find the copy among a great 

 parcel of other papers, put it into my hands, and I soon 

 got it into the press, and had it published in the begin- 

 ing of the year 1713. 



In this Synopsis, Mr. Ray addecl many species of birds 

 and fishes, which were omitted in Mr. Willughby's his- 

 tories of them, and much reformed the method of the 

 fishes. The additions were, chiefly, the birds of Mexico, 

 and the birds and fishes of India, Spitzberg, Jamaica, 



