(Sylvio), a celebrated natural historian, born at Palermo in Sicily. After he had gone through the usual course of studies, he applied himself chiefly to natural history, in which he made a most surprising progress. He was afterwards ordained priest, and entered into the Cistercian order, at which time he changed his Christian name Paul into that of Sylvio. This new way of life did not in the least divert him from his favourite study; for he pursued it with greater vigour than ever, and traveled not only over Sicily, but likewise visited the isle of Malta, Italy, the Low Countries, England, France, Germany, Poland, and several other nations; and, in 1696, was admitted a member of the academy of the virtuosi in Germany. Upon his return to Sicily, he retired to a convent of his own order near Palermo; where he died in 1704, being 71 years of age. He left many curious works.