Gesner

Gesner, Conrad von (1516-1565), a Swiss naturalist, sometimes called the "German Pliny," was born at Zurich, where he was brought up by an uncle, in whose garden he used to gather plants and imbibed his first taste for botany. He then went to Strasburg, to Bourges, and to Paris. In 1535 he was at Zurich, was married, and was in poor circumstances. He taught all day for his livelihood, and worked most of the night for love of science. In 1537 he was made Professor of Greek at Lausanne, and in 1541 Professor of Physics and Natural History at Zurich. He wrote upon ancient medicine and botany, and in a treatise upon milk he gave much information about Switzerland. Among many other classical labours, he published in 1545 his Bibliotheca Universalis, and from 1551 to 1587appeared his Historia Animaliuiu.

He also projected a work upon botany.