Beautiful hand-colored woodcuts, heightened with egg-white, of a Cuckoo from Gesner's "Vogelbuch", 1600. Early German edition of the famous encyclopedia. Frankfurt, Saur, 1600. Dimensions: 35 x 22 cm. Conrad Gesner is considered the father of modern scientific bibliography, zoology and botany. He was a Renaissance polymath, physician, philosopher, bibliographer, philologist, natural historian, and illustrator who spent most of his time collecting, researching, and writing. He compiled monumental works on bibliography (Bibliotheca universalis 1545–1549) and zoology (Historia Animalium 1551–1558). These woodcuts were published in so called " Vogelbuch" dedicated to birds. Good condition, a few old creases.