Color photographs and line drawings help you identify and learn about the fascinating plants of the Pacific Northwest coast. Engaging notes on each species describe aboriginal and other local uses of plants for food, medicine and implements, along with the unique characteristics of each plant and name origins.

    Wilson's monumental treatise The Ants also was praised in the popular press and won a Pulitzer Prize. This overwhelming success attests to a fact long known and deeply felt by the authors: the infinite fascination of their tiny subjects. This fascination finds its full expression in Journey to the Ants, an overview of myrmecology that is also an eloquent tale of the authors' pursuit of these astonishing insects.Richly illustrated and delightfully written, Journey to the Ants combines autobiography and scientific lore to convey the excitement and pleasure the study of ants can offer. The authors interweave their personal adventures with the social lives of ants, building, from the first minute observations of childhood, a remarkable account of these abundant insects' evolutionary achievement. Accompanying Holldobler and Wilson, we peer into the colony to see how ants cooperate and make war, how they reproduce and bury their dead, how they use propaganda and surveillance, and how they exhibit a startlingly familiar ambivalence between allegiance and self-aggrandizement. This exotic tour of the entire range of formicid biodiversity - from social parasites to army ants, nomadic hunters, camouflaged huntresses, and energetic builders of temperature-controlled skyscrapers - opens out increasingly into natural history, intimating the relevance of ant life to human existence. A window on the world of ants as well as those who study them, this book will be a rich source of knowledge and pleasure for anyone who has ever stopped to wonder about the miniature yet immense civilization at our feet.

    He traces the trajectory of his life—from a childhood spent exploring the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida to life as a tenured professor at Harvard—detailing how his youthful fascination with nature blossomed into a lifelong calling. He recounts with drama and wit the adventures of his days as a student at the University of Alabama and his four decades at Harvard University, where he has achieved renown as both teacher and researcher.As the narrative of Wilson's life unfolds, the reader is treated to an inside look at the origin and development of ideas that guide today's biological research. Theories that are now widely accepted in the scientific world were once untested hypotheses emerging from one man's broad-gauged studies. Throughout Naturalist, we see Wilson's mind and energies constantly striving to help establish many of the central principles of the field of evolutionary biology. The story of Edward O. Wilson's life provides fascinating insights into the making of a scientist and a valuable look at some of the most thought-provoking ideas of our time.

    In the program and book, both titled The Private Life of Plants, Attenborough treks through rainforests, mountain ranges, deserts, beaches, and home gardens to show us things we might never have suspected about the vegetation that surrounds us. With their extraordinary sensibility, plants compete endlessly for survival and interact with animals and insects: they can see, count, communicate, adjust position, strike, and capture. Attenborough makes the plant world a vivid place for readers, who in this book can enjoy the tour at their own pace, taking in the lively descriptions and nearly 300 full-color photos showing plants in close detail.The author reveals to us the aspects of plants' lives that seem hidden from view, such as fighting, avoiding or exploiting predators or neighbors, and struggling to find food, increase their territories, reproduce themselves, and establish their place in the sun. Among the most amazing examples, the acacia can communicate with other acacias and repel enemies that might eat their leaves, the orchid can impersonate female wasps to attract males and ensure the spreading of its pollen, the Venus's flytrap can take other organisms captive and consume them. Covering this remarkable range of information with enthusiasm and clarity, Attenborough helps us to look anew at the vegetation on which all life depends and which has an intriguing life of its own. He has created a book sure to please the plant lover and any other reader interested in exploring the natural world.

    For among the finches of Daphne Major, natural selection is neither rare nor slow: it is taking place by the hour, and we can watch.In this dramatic story of groundbreaking scientific research, Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself. The Beak of the Finch is an elegantly written and compelling masterpiece of theory and explication in the tradition of Stephen Jay Gould.With a new preface.

    Penetrating, gripping, and provocative, this book combines natural history, anthropology, and ecology on an epic scale. Illustrations.

    She came to know the history and natural history of this place well enough to call it home, and has recorded her observations in a book that is as wide-ranging as the river and as wild as the wilderness through which it runs.

    Each included adventure has been selected to show the extent to which Muir courted and faced danger, i.e. lived "wildly, " throughout his life. From the famous avalanche ride off the rim of Yosemite Valley to his night spent riding out a windstorm at the top of a tree to death-defying falls on Alaskan glaciers, the renowned outdoorsman's exploits are related in passages that are by turns exhilarating, unnerving, dizzying and outrageous.

    There are literally hundreds of plants readily available underfoot waiting to be harvested and used either as food or as a potential therapeutic. This book is both a field guide to nature's bounty and a source of intriguing information about the plants that surround us.

    Describing the cycles of loss and recovery that have changed many ecosystems in the past 50 years, the author considers both habitat destruction and pollution, as well as the introduction of exotic animals and reforestation that is underway nationwide.

    Scott Weidensaul shows how geology, ecology, climate, evolution, and more than 500 years of human history have shaped one of the continent's greatest landscapes.

    Williams weaves her observations in the naturalist field and her personal experience--as a woman, a Westerner, and a Mormon--into a resonant manifesto on behalf of the landscapes she loves, making clear as well that, through our disregard of this world, we have lost an essential connection to our deepest selves.

    This definitive, long-overdue biography shows how Carson, already a famous nature writer, became a reluctant reformer. It is a compelling portrait of the determined woman behind the publicly shy but brilliant scientist and writer.

    133 color photos.

    With her enchanting watercolor images and hand-lettered prose, artist and author Maryjo Koch explores, with both authority and humor, everything in the world of birds.

    This book - which includes some of his essays - is full of details and anecdotes about the flora, fauna, and humans that have inhabited Florida's colourful landscape.

    Oliver Rackham's book tells the many-layered story of the British landscape using landscape photography and a series of photographic essays, describing eight of the author's walks within areas of natural beauty.

    An anthropologist traveling with an aboriginal people finds that, because of his aggressive desire to understand them, they remain always disturbingly unknowable. A successful financial consultant, failing to discover his roots in Africa, jogs from Connecticut to the Pacific Ocean in order to forge an indigenous connection to the American landscape. A paleontologist is haunted by visions of wildlife in a vacant lot in Manhattan. In simple, crystalline prose, Lopez evokes a sense of the magic and marvelous strangeness of the world, and a deep compassion for the human predicament.

    But a closer look at a small square reveals an ever-changing world. . .home to a larger variety of creatures and goings-on than you'd ever imagine, even in just a drop of its water! This beautifully illustrated you are there science book--part of the critically acclaimed One Small Square series--is brimming over with fun-to-do experiments and activities for children ages 7 and up. Includes a pond field guide, a glossary-index, and a resource list.

    Power Unseen portrays the many, diverse and often unexpected activities of microbes through a series of 75 vignettes, each focusing on one particular organism and its characteristic behavior. Illustrating microbial life in its astonishing diversity, this fascinating and entertaining book leaves the reader in no doubt that microbes, not macrobes, rule the world.

    In its own way it has inspired many people to take a new look at the fossil record and imagine creatures and things as they might have been—a blend of word and image unlike any other.From the Trade Paperback edition.

    His images influenced artists of the time and continue to affect the work of visual artists, craftsmen, and architects to the present day. A pioneer of Neue Sachlichkeit, his pictures are classics in the history of photography. Neither a trained photographer nor a botanist, Blossfeldt was interested in plants for didactic reasons. By enlarging the inner structures of plants he revealed their organic configuration and their consummate artistic forms that arose from biological necessity. Blossfeldt's aim was to produce a pure catalogue of forms, and yet he created one of the most stunning oeuvres in the history of photography. Gert Mattenklott in his essay explores the origin of Blossfeldt's work and its subsequent influence. Georges Bataille's historical article "The Language of Flower," first published in 1929 with illustrations by Blossfeldt, defines plants as occupying a space between profanity and sanctity.

    An introduction to insect physiology, genetics and behaviour which looks at the interaction between humans and insects, and explores both the positive and negative aspects of the relationship.

    In a swuare of land about the size of a living room, children will see animals they might have encountered only at the zoo. . .discover the rewards and dangers of their natural home. . .and observe how these creatures live with each other in a changing, endangered environment. It's an exciting journey of discovery, coming to you from the One Small Square series of interactive science and nature books. . .where the next stop could be as near as your backyard or as far as half a world away.

    The Old Shrub Roses(1955) brought to public attention the favourite roses of the early 19th century: the intensely scented Damasks, the rich and sombre Gallicas and the Albas with their unique combination of elegance and thriftiness. Shrub Roses of Today (1962) identified the species and hybrids from Japan and North America, from English and Scottish hedgerows and from the mountains of China, full of virtues then unrecognized. Climbing Roses Old and New (1965) considered ramblers and climbers such as 'Adelaide d'Orleans' and 'Desprez a fleur jaune', now more than 150 years old but still incomparable. The Graham Stuart Thomas Rose Book brings the trilogy together, substantially revised and updated. New material has been added, practical advice is included on planting, general cultivation, pruning and display, and new photographs complement favourite illustrations from such masters as Redouté and Graham Stuart Thomas himself.

    Full color.

    Nothing quite matches the thrill of witnessing a pod of these immense creatures cutting through the waters of Johnstone Strait or listening to their strident underwater calls to each other in their own dialect. Because killer whales live at sea and spend most of their time underwater, they have been difficult to observe and study in the wild. In the 1970s, however, the late Michael Bigg and the authors of this book developed a technique that would revolutionize the study of killer whales. By photographing the dorsal fin and grey saddle patch at the base of the fin with their idiosyncratic markings, they found that killer whales could be individually identified and studied over a course of years. As they pursued this line of study into the 1980s and '90s, they discovered that the killer whale possessed a social life that was richer and more complex than anyone had imagined. This book presents the results of twenty years of killer whale research in British Columbia and Washington State. The authors are active researchers who are widely regarded as the world's foremost authorities on killer whales. Their book contains the latest information on killer whale natural history, suggestions on how, when, and where to best watch killer whales, and a catalogue of over 300 photographs of "resident" killer whales which identifies individual whales and their family groups. Intended for both whale enthusiasts and researchers, Killer Whales adds much to our knowledge of this remarkable creature.

    While the information is scientific in nature, Constantz's accessible descriptions of the adaptation of various organisms to their environment enable the reader to enjoy learning about the Appalachian ecosystem. The book is divided into three sections: "Stage and Theater," "The Players," and "Seasonal Act." Each section sets the scene and describes the events occurring in nature. "Stage and Theatre" is comprised of chapters that describe the origins of the Appalachia region. "The Players" is an interesting and in-depth look into the ecology of animals, such as the mating rituals of different species, and the evolutionary explanation for the adaptation of Appalachian wildlife. The last section, "Seasonal Act," makes note of the changes in Appalachian weather each season and its effect on the inhabitants.

    From the two-ton nest of an eagle to the tiny knot-like nest of a hummingbird, Dunning examines the diverse habitats and sizes of birds' nests. This is an inviting book that peeks inside a remarkable natural place and shows both the evolution of birds and the methods they use to nurture and protect their eggs.

    The perfect gift for naturalists and art lovers, here is an authoritative and beautiful look at marine life.

    Yet fifty years later the first museums of natural history had appeared in Italy, dedicated to the marvels of nature. Italian patricians, their curiosity fueled by new voyages of exploration and the humanist rediscovery of nature, created vast collections as a means of knowing the world and used this knowledge to their greater glory.Drawing on extensive archives of visitors' books, letters, travel journals, memoirs, and pleas for patronage, Paula Findlen reconstructs the lost social world of Renaissance and Baroque museums. She follows the new study of natural history as it moved out of the universities and into sixteenth- and seventeenth-century scientific societies, religious orders, and princely courts. Findlen argues convincingly that natural history as a discipline blurred the border between the ancients and the moderns, between collecting in order to recover ancient wisdom and the development of new textual and experimental scholarship. Her vivid account reveals how the scientific revolution grew from the constant mediation between the old forms of knowledge and the new.

    Main Selection of the Natural Science Book Club. This book provides the first comprehensive set of illustrations of the life forms revealed in the Burgess Shale. This century's most significant invertebrate fossil discovery, the Burgess Shale provides an unprecendented window ito the explosive evolution during the Cambrian Period.

    Indeed, the mysteries ripple well beyond the pond's edge, where budding scientists stoop over their specimens, and one question in particular intrigues John Janovy: What makes these otherwise normal young people want to study parasites? The parasites that Janovy peers at in Dunwoody Pond, living their intricate lives on or in beetles, damselflies, frogs, toads, fish, and tiny crustaceans, are no less interesting and involved than the lives of the young scientists he observes in their pursuit of these microorganisms. An exploration of a small farm pond in Nebraska, the creatures that inhabit it, and the people who study them, this engaging book captures the spirit of scientific inquiry at its source. Janovy, a celebrated scientist, naturalist, and teacher, introduces us to five of his most gifted students at critical junctures in their scientific careers. As we watch these young people at work and learn about the fascinating microscopic universe that preoccupies them, we also learn firsthand about the curiosity, wonder, and excitement that animate scientific practice. As closely observed and warmly written as all of John Janovy's works, Dunwoody Pond is, above all, a highly original and insightful meditation on the nature of science itself.

    It is no accident that many of these ornithological shrines are located in Texas, which has the most diverse avifauna in North America north of Mexico. Texas comes by this enormous diversity honestly, with rugged mountains, vast deserts, lush semi-tropical woodlands, prairies, bayous, cedar brakes, thorn forests, and one of the richest temperate migration corridors in the world located along the western Gulf Coast.Birds of Texas: A Field Guide provides an introduction and ready access to this spectacular variety. The text provides detailed information on identification, habitat preferences, voice, seasonal occurrence, abundance, and distribution. Maps show precisely where in the state the bird can be found. Photos of the bird in the field put the species in the proper visual context for identification; in fact, the photos for over half of the 622 species were taken in Texas. Texas is a unique region of the hemisphere, and its birdlife is an important part of what makes it special. This book will be useful to the beginner and the experienced birder alike.

    Loaded with crisp, full- color photographs that often astonish and amuse, the 16-volume set provides unique insights into the amazing diversity of species around the globe.The volume provide clear, basic information on physiology, classification, habitat, life cycle, and behavior, including such diverse topics as courtship and mating, egg-laying and development, reproduction and parental care, food and feeding.Packed with fascinating details and little-known facts, this volume chronicles every facet of these animal's behavior, biology, and ecology.

    G. Heck's Bilder Atlas zum Convenations Lexicon, published in German in the nineteenth century, the Iconographic Encyclopaedia of Science, Literature, and Art was a monumental six-volume compilation of illustrations and information, covering an enormous range of subjects, from architecture to zoology. Among its most remarkable features were the thousands of superb steel engravings, comprising one of the most extensive pictorial archives ever published in a single work.The present book, one of three separate and independent volumes based on the rare original American edition of 1851, is devoted to nature and science. Over 170 beautifully reproduced plates contain thousands of illustrations depicting an extraordinary array of subjects: mathematical and geometrical problems; surveying instruments, astronomical maps, and instruments; planetary systems according to Ptolemy, the Egyptians, Copernicus, and others; positions of the planets; botanical illutrations of scores of plants — including seed pods, fruits, and other parts; physical and meteorological illustration demonstrating many laws and principles; numerous types of physical and chemical apparatus; animals, minerals, fossils, geological formations; human anatomy; and many other images. A descriptive table of contents is keyed to numbered illustrations on each plate.Artists, illustrators, and anyone in need of precisely rendered, royalty-free science or nature illustrations will welcome this practically inexhaustible wealth of immediately usable art.

    "Extraordinary color photos, charts, and interesting sidebars...."-- "Reptile & Amphibian Magazine. "No other recent book attempts to provide the depth of information offered by "Snakes."-- "Science Books & Films. 220 pages (all in color), 9 1/2 x 12 1/4.

    In tours of nine North American ecosystems ranging from backyards to woodlands, mountain peaks to sandy shores, a diverse group of experienced naturalists show how to approach nature with a trained eye. Special features include: * Hundreds of photographs and dozens of specially commissioned watercolor paintings that illustrate the rich array of plants and animals, and their exquisite adaptations to the world we share with them. * Detailed drawings for easy-to-make tools such as a pond viewer and a home barometer. Step-by-step instructions for pressing and mounting plants and making casts of animal tracks. * Expert explanations of simple field techniques such as recording animal sounds and calculating the distance of a thunderstorm.

    A Birder's Guide to Coastal North Carolina is the first guide to the prime bird-watching spots of the Tar Heel coast and nearby areas--including national seashores, national forests and wildlife refuges, state parks and game lands, and other public areas. Written for both casual and serious birders, the book features detailed site guides to the entire coastal region, including the Outer Banks. John Fussell provides an annotated checklist, habitat information, and bar graphs indicating seasonal abundance for all regularly occurring species. The book also includes a chapter on the 140 most sought-after species on the coast. Fussell describes the best places and conditions--seasonal, weather, and tidal--for finding these popular varieties. Detailed maps of most of the major birding sites complement the text.

    This text describes the evidence for how life moved from sea to land, beginning more than 400 million years ago, employing the concept of Hypersea which is the idea that the barren land surfaces of the Earth could only have been colonized by multicellular organisms working in concert.

    Behind Scott's charm and single-minded devotion to his chosen causes lies a complex character. Elspeth Huxley has written a wonderfully rich and readable biography, which will be important to anyone interested in the conservation of wildlife and the earth.

    It includes scientific and common names, as well as the number and distribution of species, measurements and physical traits, habitat, daily and seasonal activity, population dynamics, home range, social life, reproduction, and longevity. Textual summaries present accurate, well-documented descriptions of the physical characteristics and living habits of bats in every part of the world. Endangered species and those having singular economic importance are given particular attention.Through five highly praised editions Walker's Mammals of the World has remained the most comprehensive—the preeminent—reference work on mammals. Now for the first time a single large segment of that encyclopedic work—the section on Chiroptera, or bats—is available in paperback as a separate volume. Lavishly illustrated with pictures by noted wildlife photographers, the book includes photographs of many rarely seen bats. As in the complete Walker's Mammals, most photographic illustrations depictlive animals rather than skins or skeletons.Since publication of the first edition in 1964, Walker's Mammals of the World has become a favorite guide to the natural world for general readers and an invaluable reference for professionals. Now Walker's Bats makes a significant portion of that work accessible to a new audience