43 
ible for we do not know. The only information we 
have is, that he had nearly completed his work for SEBA 
when he met with his death. The Introduction contains 
the following passage: "That portion of the work dealing 
with Fishes should prove the more welcome to students 
of Fishes, as we have to thank ARTEDI, "celeberrimo 
illi piscium Scrutatori", for them though not for all. 
That chief among ichthyologists had almost accomplished 
the whole description of the collection of fishes in SEBA'S 
Museum, when his life was brought to an untimely end". 
The accuracy noticeable in the descriptions betrays the 
hand of a past master in the art; we cannot but regret, 
however, that his life was not spared long enough to 
enable him to incorporate in his System the experience 
which the labour with SEBA'S collections undoubtedly 
afforded him. While studying them, he came across 
new Genera and a number of Varieties, so that his know- 
ledge of Fishes was materially increased; his limited 
time did not, however, always allow of his giving to his 
descriptions the due form, which he himself prescribed 
in the rules he laid down in his "Ichthyologia". Nor 
did he find opportunity to systematize SEBA'S fishes, 
much less to draw any conclusions from them. Conse- 
quently the value of this last work of ARTEDI'S is con- 
fined to his having correctly diagnosed certain fish-forms 
and named some genera. Among the latter may be 
noticed Anableps or the telescope fish, whose curious 
visual apparatus was dissected and may be seen de- 
picted in the work. 
The brief survey attempted in the preceding pages 
of the scientific work accomplished by PETER ARTEDI in 
the department of Zoology, and more especially in that 
of Ichthyology, is now complete. From it the conclu- 
sion may easily be drawn that zoological research was 
directed by his instrumentality into new paths which 
were destined to carry it forward to ever increasing 
success and development. ARTEDI was the first to settle 
definitely the notion of Genus in Zoology, to make clear 
the distinction existing between Species and Variety, to 
