Though comparatively few even of his own country- 
men of the present day are familiar with the name 
of PETER ARTEDI, there are, in fact, not many men 
on the proud roll of famous Swedish naturalists and 
scientists who have greater or better claims to be held 
in honourable remembrance than he, occupying as he 
does a very prominent place among the pioneers of 
natural science study. By way of commemoration of 
the 200th anniversary of this illustrious man's birth, it 
is here proposed to give a sketch of his brief life and 
also some appreciation of his significance in the history 
of biological investigation. 
It appears that PETER ARTEDI came of a family which 
was settled in the Government of Vesterbotten in North 
Sweden. The first member of the family to adopt the 
name, which in a variant, simplified form - - his 
descendant was to make famous, was the son of a peas- 
ant farmer residing in the village of Hiske, which is 
situated in the compass of the rural parish of Umea. 1 
This man was born in 1635 or thereabouts, and called 
himself subsequently PETRUS MARTINI ARCT^EDIUS. He 
appears to have decided to strike out a new line, for 
we find him resorting to the University at Abo, in Fin- 
land, where he matriculated in 1656. Seven years later, 
on April 3 1663, he was appointed a master at the 
Pitea Grammar School by the Consistory of the Norr- 
land Diocese, located at Hernosand. He proceeded at 
1 The town of Umea is situated near the mouth of the River 
Ume, which flows out into the Gulf of Bothnia. Pitea is similarly 
situated, about 120 miles further north; Hernosand also lies close 
to the Baltic Sea, about the same distance SSW. of Umea. 
