114 



BIOLOGY AND ITS MAKERS 



cally arranged, for convenience of reference, and thus ani- 

 mals that were closely related are often widely separated. 



Gesner (Fig. 32) sacrificed his life to professional zeal 

 during the prevalence of the plague in Zurich in 1564. Hav- 

 ing greatly overworked in the care of the sick, he was seized 

 with the disease, and died at the age of forty-nine. 



Considered from the standpoint of descriptions and illus- 

 trations, Gesner's Historia Aninialium remained for a long 



Fig, 32. — Gesner 1516-1565. 



time the best work in zoology. He was the best zoologist 

 between Aristotle and John Ray, the immediate predecessor 

 of Linnaeus. 



Jonston and Aldrovandi. — At about the same period as 

 Gesner's work there appeared two other voluminous publica- 

 tions, which are well known — those of Jonston, the Scot 



