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fish
Fish
Willughby (1635-1720), author of some of the most important contributions in natural history before those of Linnaeus, toured the Continent extensively with John Ray, collecting material for his research and observing specimens to be reproduced in his drawings. He died before publishing his studies on fish. The large editorial work was undertaken by Ray, the renowned naturalist who had carried out extensive experimental work in embryology and plant physiology, a member of the Royal Society of London since 1667. Ray brought his taxonomy system to bear on Willughby's descriptions. Although broadly based on Aristotle's classification, it relied on anatomical and functional features, and was the first system based on the notion of species in the distinction of diverse animals and plants. The exceptional collection of plates is known in two editorial states, one with engravings on both recto and verso of each leaf, the second engraved on recto only. This copy has 'state b' plates, and the title-page which is sometimes bound before the plates is here bound at the beginning. see full details...
