Vig Károly: Zoological Research in Western Hungary. A history (Szombathely, 2003)
Historical survey 21 on Hungarian geographical and zoological studies. Two works of his that remained in manuscript have particular importance for the West Hungarian border region. One is a vast three-volume work he wrote in 1730-40 on Hungarian agriculture: Tractatus de re rustica Hungarorum. 58 This is the most valuable Hungarian example of an account of the delights of rustic life and occupations, which was one of the most popular genres of earlier centuries. However, it seems likely that some details of the third volume, which 'discussed the animals comprising the objects of hunting and fishing and the old hunting and fishing methods,' were contributed by KRISTÓF JÁNOS DECCARD and his sons. 59 The fishing techniques used on Fertő were described so accurately that they correspond well with those described and illustrated a good century later by OTTÓ HERMAN (1887). The most frequent references in the fishing chapter are made to MARSIGLI'S work mentioned already and to Georgica curiosa by FREIHERR V. HOHBERG (HOHBERGIUS, 1612-1688), who visited Hungary several times and included information relevant to Hungary. 60 The survival of Tractatus de re rustica Hungarorum was due to ISTVÁN WESZPRÉMI, who included the whole manuscript in his Succincta medicorum Hungáriáé et Transilvaniae biographia" (Vol. 4, Vienna, 1787, pp. 99-112) among papers bequeathed by DECCARD, under the title Rei rusticae Hungaricae libri III. congesti indefessa industria, et laboré Clariss. Mathiae Bélii Polyhistoris quondam inter Hungaros celeberrimi, et Joannis Christophori Deccardi rectoris gymnasii evang. semproniensis. Audi observationibus a Duumfratibus conjunctissimis, Joannis Guilielmo Deccardo Med. Doct, et Joannis Christophoro Deccardo, Societt. Lat. Jenensis Membro honorario. 61 The other extensive work by MÁTYÁS BÉL was a series of publications entitled Notitia Hungáriáé novae historicogeographica. .., which was expected to fill almost 30 volumes. This plan is already mentioned in his Hungáriáé antiquae et novae Prodromus..., published in Nuremberg in 1723. 62 After ten years work, the first 58 For an account and assessment of some chapters, see LUKÁCS, К. 1941. Bél Mátyás „Tractatus de re rustica Hungarorum" című munkája és „Magyarország halairól és halászatáról" szóló fejezetek ismertetése (The Tractatus... of MB and an account of the chapter 'On the fishes and fisheries of Hungary'). Magyar Biológiai Kutató Intézet Munkái 13:109-61; KÁDÁR, Z. 1985. Bél Mátyás „De re rustica" című művének jelentősége a Kárpát-medence faunájának kutatásában (The importance of MB's De re rustica to research into the fauna of the Carpathian Basin). Állattani Közlemények 72:81-3. The fish chapter appeared in DEÁK, A. 1984. Matthias Bei-Bél Mátyás: A magyarországi halakról és azok halászatáról. A „Tractatus de re rustica Hungarorum" részlete (On the fishes and fisheries of Hungary'. Extract from Tractatus de re rustica Hungarorum). Vízügyi Történeti Füzetek (Water Management History Pamphlets) series, for an exhibition at the József Beszédes Water Management Museum, Sopron. 76 pp. + map. Budapest. 59 ERNYEY, J. 1912. Természettudományi mozgalmaink a XVII-XVIII. században (Hungarian scientific movements in the 17th-18th centuries). Természettudományi Közlöny, Pótfüzetek 44:113-29. 60 HOHBERG, W.H.F. 1687. Georgica curiosa oder des in Deutschland üblichen Adelichen Land- und Feldlebens. 12 books. Nürnberg [Nuremberg]. 61 ENTZ, G., Sr 1906. Két régi, elveszett magyar állattani könyvről (Two lost old books of Hungarian zoology). Természettudományi Közlöny 38:353-5. 62 BÉL, M. 1723. Hungáriáé antiquae et novae Prodromus, cum Specimine, quomodo in singulis operis partibus elaborandis, versari constituent (auctor Matthias Belius Pannonius, Norimbergae, Petri Conradi Monath bibliopolae Anno MDCCXXIII.). Nürnberg [Nuremberg].
