spare time in studying zoology and botany, and soon became wealthy. Occasionally he travelled, and during one of these trips he became acquainted with the leading men at Venice and Augsburg, and at their instance began a great work, a kind of universal catalogue of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin works. All this time he was slowly and surely studying animals and plants, and in 1551 the first part of his “History of Animals” appeared, to be followed by others in 1554, 1555, and 1556. The volumes contained descriptions of viviparous quadrupeds, that is to say, four-footed beasts, whose young are born in active movement; of oviparous quadrupeds, or those which lay eggs; of birds and of fishes, and other aquatic animals. He wrote also upon insects. All agree that this book is a miracle of industry, having for its object no less than a general history of animated nature. It contains a careful criticism of the works of previous authors, and, besides much valuable and solid knowledge on zoology, many interesting remarks on the habits and medicinal uses of animals. He followed the method of Aristoteles, and the notion of the genus was, of course, not satisfactorily established; but the book was the source of much of modern zoology, from which succeeding writers drew largely. Gesner’s botanical works were as great as those relating to animals, and he designed and painted fifteen hundred figures of plants, which were of great use to his successors. As if he had not enough to do, he translated the Greek works of Aelian, on animals, in 1556. Scientific and industrious, he had much to contend with, and was short-sighted. He was the first person who used concaved glasses to remedy this defect in his sight. As years rolled on, Gesner was much liked and honoured in his native town; he was very amiable, a great peacemaker, and a liberal citizen. He established a botanic garden, and gave employment to artists. Whilst in the full vigour of life, and in active practice as a physician, the plague attacked Zurich, and Gesner successfully combated the contagious disorder in many cases. He exposed himself without fear, after the fashion of most medical men, and unfortunately caught the disease. When the worst symptoms came, he knew his hour was at hand, and asked to be carried into his library and museum, where all the treasures he had collected and described, to the delight of his students and friends, were deposited. There he breathed his last, in the arms of his affectionate wife, for whose love contagion had no terrors. He died with the calmness of a Christian philosopher, on the fifth day of his attack, at the early age of forty-nine. His remains rest, much honoured, in the cloister of the Greek church at Zurich. Not only did Gesner consolidate the knowledge of the animal and vegetable kingdom of his day, but he also influenced other authors to do good work, and to avoid unkind criticism. His calm, candid, and equable temper enabled him to soothe the angry feelings of