Francis Willughby, the friend and companion of Ray, and distinguished like him for his attainments in Natural History, was the only son of Sir Francis Willughby, Knight, of Middleton in Warwickshire. He was born in 1635. He received his education at Trinity College, where he took the degree of A.B. in 1656, and that of A.M. in 1659. From his childhood he addicted himself to hard study; and by incessant application acquired great skill in almost every branch of learning. Natural History, however, was the science for which he evinced the greatest partiality, and to which he devoted the largest share of his attention. He was of opinion that the study of animals had been much neglected up to his time, and he was anxious to do what he could for its advancement. In these pursuits he was much aided by the advantages of birth and fortune which he knew how to appreciate and to apply to just and useful purposes. Previously to commencing a system of original observations, he was careful to read what had been already written by authors on his favourite department. It was probably with this view that in 1660 he was resident at Oxford for a short time to gain the benefit of the Public Library. On leaving that place, he travelled, in company with Ray and others, over a considerable part of Europe and several times over his native country, for the purpose of extending his knowledge of Natural History.