Konrad Gesner of Zurich is regarded as the founder of two scholarly disciplines: bibliography and zoology. In 1551 he began publishing an encyclopaedia of animals under the title »Historia animalium«, which was also translated into German. Gesner went through the animals alphabetically without introducing any classification. Although a few mythical creatures can be found in it, this work considered as a whole mirrors the zoological knowledge of the 16th century. About 800 animals are described and portrayed in coloured woodcuts. While his volume on fish, among other things, shows whaling and how to best cut up the catch, Gesner also illustrates the dangers that can confront mariners when they encounter mighty whales.