Various fish specimens
Date
1686
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Library reference
18574
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 365mm
width (page): 230mm
width (page): 230mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Ichthyological study of various species of fish, including:
1. A species of parrotfish, possibly a common parrotfish, Scarus psittacus, here styled Scarus Rond.
2. An unknown species, possibly a black seabream, Spondyliosoma cantharus, here styled Cantharus Rond.
3. An species of parrotfish, here styled Scarus varus Rond.
4. An unknown species here styled Acarnas Rondel.
5. A common seabream, Pagrus pagrus, here styled Pagrus Rond.
6. A common dentex, Dentex dentex, here styled Synagris Rond.
7. An unknown species, possibly a blue tang, Paracanthurus hepatus, here styled Hepatus Rond.
8. A species of seabream, possibly a blackspot seabream, Pagellus bogaraveo, here styled Orphus Rond.
Printed inscription: ‘Scari Pisces/ 1. Scarus Rond./ 2. Cantharus Rond./ 3. Scarus varus Rond./ 4. Acarnas Rondel./ 5. Pagrus Rond./ 6. Synagris Rond./ 7. Hepatus Rond./ 8. Orphus Rond./ Tab. V. 1. Sumptibus D. Sam. Pepys, Praes: S: R’ with further handwritten annotation ‘5. The Sea Bream/ 6/ An Synodon vel Dentex. Tab. V. 3.’ Numbered ‘151’ in the top right-hand corner.
Plate V:1 from De historia piscium libri quatuor, by Francis Willughby and John Ray (Oxford, 1686).
Francis Willughby (1635-1672), British naturalist, was an Original Fellow of the Royal Society.
John Ray (1627-1705), British naturalist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1667.
Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) British naval official and diarist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1665 and served as President between 1684-1686.
1. A species of parrotfish, possibly a common parrotfish, Scarus psittacus, here styled Scarus Rond.
2. An unknown species, possibly a black seabream, Spondyliosoma cantharus, here styled Cantharus Rond.
3. An species of parrotfish, here styled Scarus varus Rond.
4. An unknown species here styled Acarnas Rondel.
5. A common seabream, Pagrus pagrus, here styled Pagrus Rond.
6. A common dentex, Dentex dentex, here styled Synagris Rond.
7. An unknown species, possibly a blue tang, Paracanthurus hepatus, here styled Hepatus Rond.
8. A species of seabream, possibly a blackspot seabream, Pagellus bogaraveo, here styled Orphus Rond.
Printed inscription: ‘Scari Pisces/ 1. Scarus Rond./ 2. Cantharus Rond./ 3. Scarus varus Rond./ 4. Acarnas Rondel./ 5. Pagrus Rond./ 6. Synagris Rond./ 7. Hepatus Rond./ 8. Orphus Rond./ Tab. V. 1. Sumptibus D. Sam. Pepys, Praes: S: R’ with further handwritten annotation ‘5. The Sea Bream/ 6/ An Synodon vel Dentex. Tab. V. 3.’ Numbered ‘151’ in the top right-hand corner.
Plate V:1 from De historia piscium libri quatuor, by Francis Willughby and John Ray (Oxford, 1686).
Francis Willughby (1635-1672), British naturalist, was an Original Fellow of the Royal Society.
John Ray (1627-1705), British naturalist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1667.
Samuel Pepys (1633-1703) British naval official and diarist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1665 and served as President between 1684-1686.
Object history
The Historia Piscium, a work begun by Francis Willughby (1635–1672), completed by John Ray (1627–1705), was the first comprehensive book of ichthyology. It consists of two parts, the text and illustrations, which were printed separately but frequently bound together. For both parts, Ray drew heavily on works by others, including Hippolytus Salviani (1514-1572), Guillaume Rondelet (1507-1566), Conrad Gessner (1516-1565), Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605) and more.
The Royal Society was responsible for publication of this work, including the printing of its plates, of which there are 187 in total. This proved to be an expensive endeavour, and many of the plates were sponsored by individual Fellows to help defray the costs, such as this one, sponsored by the Society's then-President Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). This copy of Historia Piscium is annotated with the remarks of Tancred Robinson (1658-1748) penned down by Francis Aston (1644-1715); with later annotations by Cromwell Mortimer (c.1699-1752).
The Royal Society was responsible for publication of this work, including the printing of its plates, of which there are 187 in total. This proved to be an expensive endeavour, and many of the plates were sponsored by individual Fellows to help defray the costs, such as this one, sponsored by the Society's then-President Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). This copy of Historia Piscium is annotated with the remarks of Tancred Robinson (1658-1748) penned down by Francis Aston (1644-1715); with later annotations by Cromwell Mortimer (c.1699-1752).
Related fellows
Associated place