HISTORY.
17
4to), by F. Hamilton (formerly Buchanan)—works distinguished by a greater accuracy of their drawings (especially in the latter), than was ever attained before. A "Natural History of British Fishes" was published by E. Donovan (Lond. 8vo, 1802-8); and the Mediterranean Fauna formed the study of the lifetime of A. Risso ("Ichthyologie de Nice." Paris, 1810, 8vo; and "Histoire naturelle de l'Europe Meridionale." Paris, 1827, 8vo). A slight beginning in the description of the fishes of the United States was made by S. L. Mitchell, who published, besides various papers, a "Memoir on the Ichthyology of New York," in 1815.[1]
G. Cuvier.
G. Cuvier did not occupy himself with the study of fishes merely because this class formed part of the "Règne animal," but he devoted himself to it with particular predilection. The investigation of their anatomy, and especially of their skeleton, was taken up by him at an early period, and continued until he had succeeded in completing so perfect a framework of the system of the whole class that his immediate successors could content themselves with filling up those details for which their master had no leisure. Indefatigable in examining all the external and internal characters of the fishes of a rich collection, he ascertained the natural affinities of the infinite variety of fishes, and accurately defined the divisions, orders, families, and genera of the class, as they appear in the various editions of the "Règne animal." His industry equalled his genius: he opened connections with almost every accessible part of the globe; not only French travellers and naturalists, but also Germans, Englishmen, Americans, rivalled one another to assist him with collections; and for many years the Muséum of the Jardin des Plantes was the centre where all ichthyological treasures were deposited. Thus Cuvier- ↑ Down to this period the history of Ichthyology is fully treated in the first volume of Cuvier and Valenciennes "Hist. nat. d. Poiss."
