Conrad Gesner (1516-1565)was a Swiss naturalist, and his collection was located in Zurich, Switzerland. Careful drawings are being made of stuffed animals to record anatomical details. Gessner compiled a comprehensive survey (Historiae animalium) of the animal kingdom, presenting known facts, rather than myths. Gessner also wrote a book on fossils. He died of the plague in 1565. At the time, he was trying to compile a survey of the plant kingdom.