The Ray Society a 180 yr old non-profit charity named after eminent naturalist John Ray (1628-1705) publishes natural history works often unavailable elsewhere. The Ray Society, a 170 yr old non-profit charity named after naturalist John Ray (1628-1705), publishes natural history works often unavailable elsewhere. The Society's purpose is to publish learned works on natural history, with special but not exclusive relevance to the British flora and fauna, which might not otherwise be published as considered not to be commercially viable.