The first book devoted entirely to marine science and the first oceanographic study of a single region. Marsigli conducted an intensive investigation of the Gulf of Lyon in the south of France, taking soundings to obtain a profile of the sea floor, analyzing the relationship of the lands under and above water, studying the water's physical properties (temperature, density, color) and its motions (waves, curents tides), and describing the marine life of the region. He was the first to class corals as living beings rather than as inorganic mineral formations. Digital facsimile from Google Books at this link.

Marsigli published the essence of his marine biology observations in Brieve ristretto de saggio fisico interno alla storia del mare. Venice: Andrea Poletti, 1711. Digital facsimile of the 1711 work from Google Books at this link.