Lives of Eminent Zoologists, from Aristotle to Linnæus / with Introductory remarks on the Study of Natural History

The volume opens with an introduction surveying the aims and methods of natural history, offering definitions for mineralogy, botany, and zoology and outlining zoology’s progress through four eras tied to Aristotle, Pliny, Linnæus, and Cuvier. It then provides concise biographies of influential zoological writers from antiquity through the Renaissance and early modern period, describing their investigations, writings, and the obstacles they faced. Several key figures receive fuller treatment, especially Linnæus whose life and influence are examined in detail and followed by an appendix on his son, while occasional reflections tie individual labours to the broader advancement of the science.