This book tells the story of the development of ideas about natural history as seen through the lives, observations and discoveries of nearly forty great naturalists, from Classical times to the end of the 19th century. From such giants as Aristotle, Linnaeus and Darwin to less lauded but nonetheless important figures as Antony van Leeuwenhoek, Nicolas Steno and Mary Anning, all the people here contributed massively to our knowledge of the natural world, enabling us to understand and appreciate it today.