Owl, in Conrad Gessner, Historiae Animalium (Zurich, 1551-1587)
Conrad Gessner's Historiae animalium is a four-volume encyclopedia of animals. Gessner investigated zoology mainly through ancient classical texts, supplemented by some of his own observations and information provided by correspondents. His chapter on owls discusses regional differences. In section B, Gessner references several chapters of Aristotle's history of animals. Each entry in the book concludes with Section H, which reviews animal symbolism and focuses on ways in which animals and their attributes are connected to human culture, something Gessner deemed an essential part of natural history. (SN)
Back to "Science on the Page"