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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Wild animals > Aquatic creatures
The Elizabeth River courses through the heart of Virginia. The
Jamestown colonists recognized the river's strategic importance and
explored its watershed almost immediately after the 1607 founding.
The Elizabeth River traces four centuries of this historic stream's
path through the geography and culture of Virginia.
European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty
of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that
the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early
settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and
excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these
new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the
fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa
Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and
cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's
diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in
1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350
years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires
new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and
underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's
unique ecosystem.
A Best Book of 2020: The Washington Post * NPR * Chicago Tribune *
Smithsonian A "remarkable" (Los Angeles Times), "seductive" (The
Wall Street Journal) debut from the new cohost of Radiolab, Why
Fish Don't Exist is a dark and astonishing tale of love, chaos,
scientific obsession, and--possibly--even murder. "At one point,
Miller dives into the ocean into a school of fish...comes up for
air, and realizes she's in love. That's how I felt: Her book took
me to strange depths I never imagined, and I was smitten." --The
New York Times Book Review David Starr Jordan was a taxonomist, a
man possessed with bringing order to the natural world. In time, he
would be credited with discovering nearly a fifth of the fish known
to humans in his day. But the more of the hidden blueprint of life
he uncovered, the harder the universe seemed to try to thwart him.
His specimen collections were demolished by lightning, by fire, and
eventually by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake--which sent more
than a thousand discoveries, housed in fragile glass jars,
plummeting to the floor. In an instant, his life's work was
shattered. Many might have given up, given in to despair. But
Jordan? He surveyed the wreckage at his feet, found the first fish
that he recognized, and confidently began to rebuild his
collection. And this time, he introduced one clever innovation that
he believed would at last protect his work against the chaos of the
world. When NPR reporter Lulu Miller first heard this anecdote in
passing, she took Jordan for a fool--a cautionary tale in hubris,
or denial. But as her own life slowly unraveled, she began to
wonder about him. Perhaps instead he was a model for how to go on
when all seemed lost. What she would unearth about his life would
transform her understanding of history, morality, and the world
beneath her feet. Part biography, part memoir, part scientific
adventure, Why Fish Don't Exist is a wondrous fable about how to
persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail.
A book of evocative and atmospheric photographs taken by Dick
Hawkes to create a representative record of this precious and
ecologically unique habitat - before much of it is lost to the many
threats it faces. Chalk streams have been described as England's
"rainforest". Around 85% of the world's chalk streams are in
England. They are beautiful, biologically distinct and amazingly
rich in wildlife, but are under threat from man-made issues of
abstraction, pollution from chemicals and effluent, development for
housing, and climate change. Included in the book are images of
typical habitats and species of wildlife found in chalk streams and
water meadows, highlighting those that are rare or most under
threat.
This Poem book takes you on an underwater adventure to meet all
sorts of characters under the sea! Swimming around and hvaing fun
with new friends, one thing become clear.... There's too much
plastic in our oceans! Something needs to be done.
The Arctic Charr is a fish of wild places. It is the fish that is
capable of thriving in the harsh conditions found in the fresh
waters of the far north where no other fish can. Its toughness in
these extreme environments, its stunning beautiful colours (more
usually associated with tropical fish) and the speed with which it
is known to adapt to new environments, ensure that "charismatic" is
used in any description of this species. Although widespread and
often abundant, surprisingly little is known about Arctic Charr in
21st century Scotland. In this volume, two ecologists with a
life-long passion for this species, distil what is known, and just
as importantly what is not, about Scottich Arctic Charr.
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not
used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad
quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are
images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to
keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the
original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain
imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made
available for future generations to enjoy.
In November 2005, Washington's iconic killer whales, known as
Southern Resident orcas, were placed on the endangered species
list. It was a victory long overdue for a fragile population of
fewer than one hundred whales. Author and certified marine
naturalist Sandra Pollard traces the story and destinies of the
many Southern Resident orcas captured for commercial purposes in or
near the Puget Sound between 1964 and 1976. During this time, these
highly intelligent members of the dolphin family lost nearly
one-third of their population. Drawing on original archive
material, this important volume outlines the history of orca
captivity while also recounting the harrowing struggle--and
ultimate triumph--for the Puget Sound orcas' freedom.
LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2022 'A remarkable and powerful
book, the rarest of things ... Nicolson is unique as a writer ... I
loved it' EDMUND DE WAAL Few places are as familiar as the shore -
and few as full of mystery and surprise. How do sandhoppers inherit
an inbuilt compass from their parents? How do crabs understand the
tides? How can the death of one winkle guarantee the lives of its
companions? What does a prawn know? In Life Between the Tides, Adam
Nicolson explores the natural wonders of the shoreline, from the
extraordinary biology of its curious animals to the flow of our
human history. This is an invitation to the water, where marvellous
things wait an inch below the surface. Previously published as The
Sea is Not Made of Water
Take a fascinating trip beneath the waves to see such vast and
fearsome creatures as the giant squid, the giant octopus, the
grotesque coelacanth, and the venomous and tentacled Portuguese
man-of-war, as well as rays, sharks, and whales, all captured in
stunning full-color photographs.
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