A description with commentary of the natural history museum of Nuremberg apothecaries Basilius Besler (1561-1629) and his nephew Michael Rupert Besler (1607-1661). The collection had been illustrated in previous publications including Basilius Besler's Fasciculus rariorum (1616) and Continuatio rariorum et aspectu dignorum varii generis (1622), and Michael Besler's Gazophylacium rerum naturalium (1642). This work is a more elaborate publication with 40 smaller engravings of the various collected objects (fruits, birds, alligators, fish, fossils, corals, etc.), 24 of which were previously depicted in the earlier works, 16 of which are additional illustrations.

The frontispiece, an engraved portrait of Johann Heinrich Lochner, was drawn and engraved by Georg Daniel Heumann (1691-1759).