Francis Willughby: Difference between revisions

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'''Francis Willughby''' ([[November 22]], [[1635]] - [[July 3]], [[1672]]) was an [[England|English]] [[ornithology|ornithologist]] and [[ichthyology|ichthyologist]].

He was the son of Sir Francis Willughby, and was born at [[Middleton Hall]], [[Warwickshire]]. He studied at [[Sutton Coldfield]] school and [[Trinity College, Cambridge|Trinity College]], [[Cambridge]].

At Cambridge he was taught by the naturalist [[John Ray]]. Between [[1663]] and [[1666]] they toured [[Europe]] together, and on returning to England made plans to publish the results of their studies. Willughby died during the preparation of this work, but Ray published Willughby's ''Ornithology'' in [[1676]]. This is considered the beginning of scientific ornithology in Europe, revolutionizing ornithological [[taxonomy]] by organizing species according to their physical characteristics.