Ray

Ray, or WRAY, JOHN, naturalist, was born at Black-Notley, near Braintree, in Essex, 29th November 1628. From Braintree free-school he went up to Cambridge, where he was fellow, Greek lecturer, mathematical tutor, and junior dean in Trinity College, but after a time began to devote himself entirely to the study of natural history. At the Restoration he accepted Episcopal ordination, but was ejected by the 'Black Bartholomew' (1662). Thereupon, accompanied by a kindred spirit, Francis Willughby, a friend and former pupil of his own, Ray travelled over most of the United Kingdom, collecting and investigating botanical and zoological specimens; and in 1663 they started on a tour through the Low Countries, Germany, Italy, and France, with a similar object, Willughby taking the zoology under his charge, and Ray the botany. In 1667 Ray was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, to whose Transactions he occasionally contributed valuable papers. In 1672 his friend Willughby died, leaving him guardian to his two sons. After several changes of residence, in 1679 Ray settled down in his native village, where he died, 17th January 1705. As a botanist and zoologist he ranks very high, the classification of plants which he proposed being practically in the main the foundation of what is now known as the 'Natural System' of classification (see BOTANY). Ray's zoological works are considered by Cuvier as the foundation of modern zoology. The chief of his works on botany are Methodus Plantarum Nova (1682); Catalogus Plantarum Angliæ (1670), the basis of all the subsequent floras of Britain; and Historia Plantarum (3 vols. 1686-1704). His zoological works include the Synopsis Methodica Animalium (1693) and three posthumous volumes on Birds, Fishes, and Insects, published by Dr Derham. He was also the author of some theological works. His friend Willughby, having collected the materials for an extensive work on the animal kingdom, left to Ray the task of arranging and classifying them (see WILLUGHBY). See Memorials of Ray (1846), and his Correspondence (1848), both edited by Dr E. Lankester for the Ray Society, which was founded in 1844.