From the New York Times bestselling author of H is for Hawk and winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for nonfiction, comes a transcendent collection of essays about the human relationship to the natural world. Animals don't exist in order to teach us things, but that is what they have always done, and most of what they teach us is what we think we know about ourselves. In Vesper Flights, Helen Macdonald brings together a collection of her best loved essays, along with new pieces on topics ranging from nostalgia for a vanishing countryside to the tribulations of farming ostriches to her own private vespers while trying to fall asleep. Meditating on notions of captivity and freedom, immigration and flight, Helen invites us into her most intimate experiences: observing the massive migration of songbirds from the top of the Empire State Building, watching tens of thousands of cranes in Hungary, seeking the last golden orioles in Suffolk's poplar forests. She writes with heart-tugging clarity about wild boar, swifts, mushroom hunting, migraines, the strangeness of birds' nests, and the unexpected guidance and comfort we find when watching wildlife. By one of this century's most important and insightful nature writers, Vesper Flights is a captivating and foundational book about observation, fascination, time, memory, love and loss and how we make sense of the world around us.

Ideal for librarians, instructors, and students, this superior, one-stop reference guide makes finding answers to natural history questions or doing research a breeze. More than just an answer book on natural history, this unique guide provides understanding into the history of science itself. Readers get rare insight into the beginnings of a scientific event, how it evolved, and who were some of the key scientists along the way. Recent scientific controversies also are included. Covering the history of earth and its living creatures, this special reference contains 30 chapters on topics in geology, oceanography, climatology, meteorology, biology, paleontology, and anthropology.

This early work is an absorbing read for any chinchilla owner or historian of the breed, but also contains a wealth of information and anecdote that is still useful and practical today. Illustrated with forty text photographs. Contents Include: The Chinchilla and Its Fur; Checking; Care of Pregnant and Lactating Females and the Young; Feeding; Care of Sick and Injured; Breeding; Housing, Equipment and Sanitation; Records; Pelting; and a Glossary. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

This fascinating book here in its complete and unabridged form makes a worthy addition to the bookshelf of all those interested in the subject. This boo is primarily devoted to reliable dog portraiture. This book will still be found interesting and serviceable to three main classes of its particular public; the Breeder, the Fancier and the Owner. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

The Irish Water Spaniel - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breed from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breed - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of the breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: My Dog And I by H. W. Huntington (1897), British Dogs by W. D. Drury (1903), Dogs Of The World by Arthur Craven (1931) and many others.

The Irish Terrier - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breed from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breed - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of the breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: My Dog And I by H. W. Huntington (1897), Dogs Of The World by Arthur Craven (1931), This Doggie Business by Edward C. Ash (1934) and many others.

Originally published in 1860, this early work on Bees and Bee keeping is both expensive and hard to find in its first edition. This fascinating work is thoroughly recommended for inclusion on the bookshelf of all Bee Keepers as much of the information contained is still usefull and practical today. Chapters include; History & Physiology of the honey bee, Breeding of bees, The Apiary and Artificial Swarms amongst others. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Why did T-Rex become extinct? Why did the Mayan civilization disappear? If the ancient Israelis did indeed cross the Red Sea, as reported in the Bible, what weather phenomena might have produced the parting of the waters? Why was nearly all human life swept away 73,000 years ago? And what factors created the Great American Dustbowl of the 1930s?
The extraordinary people who are interested in asking--and answering--such questions are known as climatologists. In a lively narrative full of intriguing facts, award-winning, internationally known climatologist Randy Cerveny takes the reader on a fascinating tour of some of the world's most perplexing and provocative climate mysteries, past and present. Cerveny explains the science of climate study--from digging ice cores in Antarctica to counting tree rings in Arizona--and the various specialists whose ingenious techniques help to sort out climate's intricate components. He also delves into the human impact of weather through fictional introductions to each chapter that depict how climate change might have affected a typical inhabitant of the ancient Sahara or Indus Valley, a peasant during Europe's "Little Ice Age," or an aviation expert probing a deadly jet crash in New York City. Finally, he discusses research that attempts to forecast the weather of the next 10,000 years--essential information for planning the nuclear waste depository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
For readers of An Inconvenient Truth, devotees of the Weather Channel, history buffs, popular science fans, or anyone who wonders what makes our weather tick--and how it will impact our future, this engaging book offers much to ponder and to enjoy.

The question about whether the Universe is guiding our lives has remained a mystery throughout all the ages. While scientific explorations have enabled us to venture far into space, we have come to recognize a vastness that is well beyond our human imagination. In spite of these enormous achievements, we have not come upon other life outside our small planet Earth. As the only known life-supporting planet in the universe discovered thus far, we should consider ourselves as unique and even special. This then raises the question whether we are the creation of a divine plan and if we are meant to serve a greater purpose. While we are limited to recognizing a physical world that exists around us, this book looks beyond the physical and into the possibility of a spiritual existence within the universe. Much of the world's population believes in a higher being, a divine creator, a God. This very idea provides us with a spiritual foundation from which we can venture into the silent, but by no means, lifeless realm of the universe. While we may be unaware of our purpose for being here with any degree of certainty, it should not deter us from attempting to explore this issue. By assuming that we each have a purpose to fulfill, should we be curious to know who out there determines this for each of us? How are we guided along this path and what is our connection with these unseen forces? The author attempts to explore this mystery based on both past and current practices within society. By sharing from his own unique life's experiences, he points to a possible spiritual intervention in our own daily lives. While certainly not everyone may agree with the author's assumptions, it should, however, leave the reader with a good deal of cause for thought.

An all-in-one guide to the more than 500 sites in the National Wildlife Refuge system, this book lists each refuge alphabetically by state, providing basic information about accessibility, facilities, and type of habitat. More in-depth descriptions are provided for significant or popular refuges, detailing flora and fauna to be found there as well as information on the best time of year to year to view migrating species. Ideal for the casual wildlife watcher or hunting enthusiast, this guide will also be a welcome companion for anyone wishing to create his or her own "eco-tour."

Irish Dogs - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breeds from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breeds - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of each breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: My Dog And I by H. W. Huntington (1897), Dogs Of The World by Arthur Craven (1931), Hutchinson's Dog Encyclopaedia by Walter Hutchinson (1935) and many others. The breeds included in this Volume are: The Irish Setter, the Irish Terrier, the Irish Water Spaniel, the Irish Wolfhound and the Kerry Blue Terrier.