Sasol First Field Guide to Birds of Prey of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the birdlife of the region. With the help of full-colour photo graphs and distribution maps, and easy-to-read text, the young adult and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common birds of prey in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their unique feeding and nesting habits.

A jam-packed puzzle and trivia book about the birds in Britain, in collaboration with the RSPB. Can you tell your rook from your crow? Do you know the collective noun for a group of goldfinches? Or where a willow warbler goes when it migrates? A must-buy for any bird enthusiast or bird-watching novice, this puzzle book is filled with questions, word games and brainteasers that will test your ornithological knowledge and reveal a treasure trove of incredible facts about our feathered friends - covering topics such as garden birds, coastal and country birds, behaviour, biology, culture, rare birds and bird migration. Featuring over 150 puzzles, from quiz questions to illustrations of birds to test your identification knowledge, wordsearches and crosswords, as well as maps to explore flight patterns, the RSPB Great British Birdwatcher's Puzzle Book will put your friends and family through their paces, and on the path to becoming an ornithological expert.

This field guide is an abridged edition of the very successful Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania written by the same authors. It covers all 1089 bird species known from the region, including vagrants. This book combines the format and detailed treatment of the larger version with the convenience of a field guide. All the species are illustrated with full details of all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Concise text describes identification, status, range, habits and voice with range maps for nearly every species. This authoritative book will not only be an indispensable guide to the visiting birder, but also a vital tool for those engaged in work to conserve and study the avifauna of these countries.

Biogeography is a vital component in many aspects of Primatology, including studies of evolution, speciation systematics, population genetics, and community ecology. Despite its integral position in studies of primate evolution and ecology and the broad representation of research on this subject in journals, field guides, and edited volumes on different regions of the world, Primate Biogeography is a subject that is rarely addressed as a discipline in its own right. This comprehensive source introduces the reader to Primate Biogeography as a discipline, highlights the many factors that may influence the distribution of primates, and reveals the wide range of approaches that are available to understanding the distribution of this order.

An authoritative guide to the birds of Cyprus Cyprus is a great place for birding, and one of the most popular places for birders to visit in Europe. It holds populations of a number of regional scarcities that are very hard to see elsewhere, plus a number of endemic subspecies, and the jewels in the crown - three full endemics, Cyprus Wheatear, Cyprus Scops Owl and Cyprus Warbler, the latter of which graces the jacket of this new Helm field guide to the island. Detailed plates are allied to concise identification text, with accurate maps stemming from Colin Richardson's decades-long programme of population-mapping on the island. Together, these elements make this the definitive guide to Cyprus's birds, one that no visitor to this beautiful island can be without.

The vertebrate integument arose about 450 million years ago as an armour of dermal bony plates in small, jawless fish-like creatures, informally known as the ostracoderms. This book reviews the major changes that have occurred in the vertebrate integument from its beginnings to the present day. Critical questions concerning the origin, structure and functional biology of the bony integument are discussed and intrinsically linked to major steps in vertebrate evolution and phylogeny the origin of jaws and the origin of teeth. The discussions include the origins of mineralization of major vertebrate skeletal components such as the dermatocranium, branchial arches and vertebral column. The advances that led to the origin of modern fishes and their phylogenetic development are reviewed and include the evolution of fins and replacement of the bony plates with several types of dermal scales. The evolution of reptiles saw a major transformation of the integument, with the epidermis becoming the protective outermost layer, from which the scales arose, while the dermis lay below it.The biological significance of the newly-evolved -keratin in reptilian scales, among the toughest natural materials known, is discussed in the context of its major contribution to the great success of reptiles and to the evolution of feathers and avian flight. The dermis in many vertebrates is strengthened by layers of oppositely oriented cross-fibres, now firmly entrenched as a design principle of biomechanics. Throughout the book conventional ideas are discussed and a number of new hypotheses are presented in light of the latest developments. The long evolutionary history of vertebrates indicates that the significance of the Darwinian concept of survival of the fittest may be overstated, including in our own mammalian origins and that chance often plays a major role in evolutionary patterns. Extensive illustrations are included to support the verbal descriptions.

Professor Theagarten Lingham-Soliar is in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal."

Bones was originally published in 1936 and is still essential reading for anyone entering bone research. A classic in the field of skeletal development, biology, anatomy and anthropology, the book sets out in clear and lucid prose the experimental basis for our current notions on how intrinsic and extrinsic (largely mechanical) factors interact in initiating differentiation of cartilage and bone, in shaping the skeleton and in regulating its growth. It established the skeleton as a dynamic, responsive system of tissues, not just inert bones. The present edition, in the Cambridge Science Classics Series, includes an introductory essay by Professor B.K. Hall, who was the last of Professor Murray's Ph.D. students and who is himself distinguished for his work in the area. Brian Hall provides an overview of research during the half-century since Bones was first published, on major topics covered in the book - the origin of skeletal cells, cartilage morphogenesis, the formation of joints, the trajectory theory and bone structure, growth of cartilage and bone.

This book compiles for the first time the development of echinoderm research in Latin America. The book contains 17 chapters, one introductory, 15 country chapters, and a final biogeographic analysis. It compiles all the investigations published in international and local journals, reports, theses and other gray literature. Each chapter is composed of 7 sections: introduction describes the marine environments, and main oceanographic characteristics, followed by a history of research account divided by specific subjects. The next section addresses patterns of distribution and diversity. A specific section would explain fishery or aquaculture activities. The next sections deal with environmental and anthropogenic threats that are affecting echinoderm, and any conservation or management action. Finally, a section with conclusions, needs and new lines of research. The book will include two appendixes with species lists of all echinoderms with bathimetric data, habitat and distribution.

This handbook is the first complete guide to the herpetofauna of northeast Africa, covering seven countries - Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan. It contains keys, comprehensive descriptions, maps of all species and photographs of virtually all species known from the region, including 114 species of amphibians and more than 460 species of reptiles. It is an essential tool for herpetologists and conservationists involved with any aspect of the African herpetofauna, and for museums and specialist libraries. Comprehensive and written by the world's leading experts in the field, this is the first book ever written on these animals.

Amphibians of North Africa is a comprehensive compilation of available data on the amphibians and reptiles found in various ecosystems across North West Africa and parts of the Mediterranean region. It is essential to identifying and understanding the ecological role of regional herpetofauna and its conservational importance. It examines the biological origins and diversity of amphibians in North Africa, along with their diverse ecosystems, including deserts, grasslands and subtropical forests. The book features detailed descriptions of the adult and larvae stages of species, such as the North African fire salamander, the common painted frog, Brongersma's toad and the Mediterranean tree frog. This book is a vital resource for herpetology and ecology students and researchers, helping them identify, understand and conserve these amphibians and reptiles in their various habitats across the North African and Mediterranean regions.

This book documents the current state of research by Chinese scientists on fish biology and fisheries and brings together manuscripts by authors from research institutions, universities and government agencies. There are papers on aquaculture, life history, genetics, marine and freshwater biology, conservation, physiology, new species descriptions, and truly amazing hypogean fishes. The information on these remarkable cave species shows how much we have yet to learn from that incredible fauna. There are papers dealing with some of the largest fishes and some of the smallest cave species. There are papers dealing with some of the most traditional forms of aquaculture and others with the most modern molecular techniques. The volume includes papers on critically threatened native fishes as well as the most common food species, such as grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). The information on rare and threatened species shows how China is dealing with their endangered fishes. The information on their carp species will be invaluable to those in other countries who will either take advantage of the productive carp species in aquaculture or try to manage them as invasive species outside China. For the first time we bring together a complete overview of the state of fisheries research in China.

The symposium "Pacific Salmon and Their Ecosystems: Status and Future Options', ' and this book resulted from initial efforts in 1992 by Robert J. Naiman and Deanna J. Stouder to examine the problem of declining Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). Our primary goal was to determine informational gaps. As we explored different scientific sources, state, provincial, and federal agencies, as well as non-profit and fishing organizations, we found that the information existed but was not being communicated across institutional and organizational boundaries. At this juncture, we decided to create a steering committee and plan a symposium to bring together researchers, managers, and resource users. The steering committee consisted of members from state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and private industry (see Acknowledgments for names and affiliations). In February 1993, we met at the University of Washington in Seattle to begin planning the symposium. The steering committee spent the next four months developing the conceptual framework for the symposium and the subsequent book. Our objectives were to accomplish the following: (1) assess changes in anadromous Pacific Northwest salmonid populations, (2) examine factors responsible for those changes, and (3) identify options available to society to restore Pacific salmon in the Northwest. The symposium on Pacific Salmon was held in Seattle, Washington, January 10-12, 1994. Four hundred and thirty-five people listened to oral presentations and examined more than forty posters over two and a half days. We made a deliberate attempt to draw in speakers and attendees from outside the Pacific Northwest.

Boreal Shield Watersheds: Lake Trout Ecosystems in a Changing Environment brings together the work of a renowned international group of scientists who specialize in aquatic science and environmental management. They explore the functioning of Boreal Shield ecosystems, focusing on the lake trout, the classic coldwater species of northern glaciated lakes, using it as an indicator of environmental change and as a model to measure the effectiveness of management actions. This book demonstrates how boreal waters have served as a crucible for decades of environmental research into the impacts of nutrient additions, trace contaminants, acid rain, climate change, sport fishing, invasive species, and watershed disturbances. The text builds on this substantial research legacy and explores our ability to manage human interactions with ecosystems across the vast Boreal Shield ecozone of North America, and with other important ecosystems worldwide. It also provides models and new methods of assessing the risk to and the durability of ecosystems in relation to local, regional, and global human activities. Maps and descriptions of several important long-term monitoring sites and an atlas describing more than 3,000 lake trout lakes in the region are special components of the book.

These notes are intended to help undergraduates who need to understand something of behavior both for its intrinsic interest and for their future careers in medicine, biology, psychology, anthropology, veterinary medicine, and nursing. In Emory University's Biology Department, a single-semester course called Evolutionary Perspectives on Behavior is given to undergraduates. It amounts to four, not eight months of study, so a great deal of compression is essential. There are several excellent textbooks available that deal with behavioral science from different perspectives, but we have found them too compendious for use in a short course when students are so heavily burdened; it is unsatisfactory to direct them to a chapter here and there in several different books or to this or that review article and original paper. In this volume, we have tried effectively and inexpensively to put in one place what we know is needed. The topics we have selected deal with their subjects in a simple, straightforward way without being too superficial. We could not cover everything and the gaps are not entirely idiosyncratic but reflect what students are given very well in other courses. Thus, there is no mention of the physiology of the axon and synapse; learning, memory, cognition, and basic genetics are hardly touched upon because students know about these matters from elsewhere.

The activities of modern society have unleashed a range of toxic chemicals into the global environment. Many of these toxicants are now being detected in increasing quantities in the tissues of marine mammals, most notably in top predators who acquire relatively large amounts of toxic chemicals by ingesting contaminated prey. Toxicology of Marine Mammals focuses on the effects of natural and introduced toxicants on organs and systems in marine mammals. It provides overviews on health status and contamination, with subsequent chapters devoted to whales, pinnipeds, dolphins, polar bears, manatees, and sea otters. Internationally renowned researchers assess the mounting evidence for adverse effects on reproduction and the chemically-induced increased susceptibility to death from infectious diseases. The concluding chapter addresses perspectives and issues for the future. This compelling book features research from a vast geographic landscape ranging from the tropics to the Arctic, with case studies on intriguing areas of contamination such as the St. Lawrence River and the Baltic Sea. It identifies the severe threats that environmental contaminants pose to the health and future of marine mammals. It also makes an urgent call for legislation to regulate the incessant pollution ravaging our seas and devastating the marine mammal population worldwide. Toxicologists working in marine biology and veterinary medicine, conservation scientists, fisheries scientists, environmental scientists, and wildlife managers will all benefit from this comprehensive resource.

The Roberts Bird Guide (2nd Edition) has gone to great trouble to concentrate on, and illustrate, difficult-to-identify species and family groups such as raptors, warblers, cisticolas and waders. Special attention has been given to make sure there is far greater coverage of male-female differences and there are also many more juvenile illustrations. Unlike all previously published southern African bird guides, this new edition will be scattered with informative photographs that are incorporated in the text pages and each plate illustration is augmented with an introduction. Apart from the approximately 240 plate spreads, the guide also has 12 photographic and illustrated double spreads that show head enlargements and other details. Plates are annotated far more definitively than other guides – highlighting key identification features, especially for difficult-to-identify species.

An acclaimed journalist seeks to understand the mysterious allure of peacocks-and in the process discovers unexpected and valuable life lessons. 2022 Carnegie Medal for Excellence Longlist Selection When Sean Flynn's neighbor in North Carolina texted "Any chance you guys want a peacock? No kidding!" he stared bewilderedly at his phone. He had never considered whether he wanted a peacock. But as an award-winning magazine writer, this kind of mystery intrigued him. So he, his wife, and their two young sons became the owners of not one but three charming yet fickle birds: Carl, Ethel, and Mr. Pickle. In Why Peacocks?, Flynn chronicles his hilarious and heartwarming first year as a peacock owner, from struggling to build a pen to assisting the local bird doctor in surgery to triumphantly watching a peahen lay her first egg. He also examines the history of peacocks, from their appearance in the Garden of Eden to their befuddling Charles Darwin to their bewitching the likes of Flannery O'Connor and Martha Stewart. And fueled by a reporter's curiosity, he travels across the globe to learn more about the birds firsthand, with stops including a Scottish castle where peacocks have resided for centuries, a southern California community tormented by a serial killer of peacocks, and a Kansas City airport hotel hosting an annual gathering of true peafowl aficionados. At turns comically absurd and deeply poignant, Why Peacocks? blends lively, insightful memoir and illuminating science journalism to answer the title's question. More than that, it offers surprising lessons about love, grief, fatherhood, and family.

This volume, The Basal Ganglia V, is derived from proceedings of the fifth Triennial Meeting of the International Basal Ganglia Society (IBAGS). The Meeting was held from 23-26 May, 1995, at Nemuno-Sato, in the Mie Prefecture of central Japan, not far from the traditional birth place of the country. As at previous Meetings, our aim was to hear and discuss new ideas and data on the Basal Ganglia. About one hundred papers were presented, on platform or as posters. We had valuable talks, stimulating discussions, and agreeable social contacts. Although just before this Meeting, there were several unusual accidents in Japan, a big earthquake in the Kobe area, not far from the Meeting place, and toxic gas terrorism in Tokyo, some hundred participants came from Europe, the United States, and elsewhere. All through the Meeting days, we were together in a beautiful environment, surrounded by fresh green vegetation, flowers and blue sea, as has been traditional for IBAGS meetings. We spent happy and pleasant sunny days there, with superb accommodation and cuisine. Also following the traditional policy of our Society, this volume has been edited to include as many papers as possible, without any selection. New ideas and data may sometimes be controversial and still immature, but we accepted all and put them together in this volume. We hope that from these fascinating papers, further new principles of basal ganglia action might emerge in the future.

The Peregrine, the fastest bird in the world, has made a remarkable recovery over the past 30 years. As the species re-establishes itself around the world it is becoming a familiar sight in towns and cities. This beautifully illustrated book is the first in-depth focus on the lives of Peregrines in towns and cities. In words and stunning photographs, Ed Drewitt reveals the latest information on Peregrine behavior including how they are adapting to, and taking advantage of, the urban environment. The book is also a how-to-guide, with information on finding peregrines, studying their diet, ringing individuals for research, putting up nest boxes and enabling people to learn more about them through public viewing points or web cameras. Ed also discusses what makes a Peregrine urban, their contemporary relationship with people, and helps dispel some myths and reveal some truths about this agile predator.

This is the first ever monumental and scientific documentation of the faunal wealth of the Indian Desert state of Rajasthan, covering the species diversity, distribution and conservation status. A scholarly contribution to the field of knowledge, it provides novel and vital information on the vertebrate faunal heritage of India s largest state.

Broadly falling under the Indo-Malaya Ecozone, the three major biomes of Rajasthan include Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Tropical and Sub-tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests and Tropical and Sub-tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and the ecoregions thus covered are North Western Thorn Scrub Forests and the Thar Desert; Khathiar-Gir Dry Deciduous Forests and the Upper Gangtic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests, respectively. Contrary to popular belief, the well known Thar or Great Indian Desert occupies only a part of the state. Rajasthan is diagonally divided by the Aravalli mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid regions. The later has a spectacular variety of highly diversified and unique yet fragile ecosystems comprising lush green fields, marshes, grasslands, rocky patches and hilly terrains, dense forests, the southern plateau, fresh water wetlands and salt lakes.

Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. The flagship and threatened species of Tiger; Leopard; Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican; White-Napped Tit; Raptors; Demoiselle and Sarus Crane; Chelones; Bats; Wild Ungulates; Small Cats; Bear; Wolf; Wild Dog; Otter; Uromastyx; Giant Flying Squirrel, Gharial and Gangetic Dolphin have been described in the 45 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. Chapters covering fossil records; conservation of biodiversity via the age old Public Science of the Desert; Anthropological Account of Communities and Tribes; socio-cultural, mythological and historical aspects of faunal conservation and the fauna in retrospect; wildlife trade; ecotourism; climate and other environmental factors like Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna (IGNP) believed to have changed the ecological face of Western Rajasthan; Protected Area Network; the tiger re-introduction experiment; and community conservation are key attractions. The world famous heronry, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and some threat-ridden biodiversity rich areas shall certainly draw the attention of readers from around the world.

The last chapter highlighting issues and insights on conservation and management and initiatives and gaps in research will help researchers from India and abroad to identify potential areas of future collaborative work. The strategies suggested herein can be a powerful tool for international conservational advocacy. Supported by rare photographs and paintings, the extensive content has implications for faunal ecology in similar habitats elsewhere on the Earth.

Broadly falling under the Indo-Malaya Ecozone, the three major biomes of Rajasthan include Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Tropical and Sub-tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests and Tropical and Sub-tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests and the ecoregions thus covered are North Western Thorn Scrub Forests and the Thar Desert; Khathiar-Gir Dry Deciduous Forests and the Upper Gangtic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests, respectively. Contrary to popular belief, the well known Thar or Great Indian Desert occupies only a part of the state. Rajasthan is diagonally divided by the Aravalli mountain ranges into arid and semi-arid regions. The later has a spectacular variety of highly diversified and unique yet fragile ecosystems comprising lush green fields, marshes, grasslands, rocky patches and hilly terrains, dense forests, the southern plateau, fresh water wetlands and salt lakes.

Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. The flagship and threatened species of Tiger; Leopard; Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican; White-Napped Tit; Raptors; Demoiselle and Sarus Crane; Chelones; Bats; Wild Ungulates; Small Cats; Bear; Wolf; Wild Dog; Otter; Uromastyx; Giant Flying Squirrel, Gharial and Gangetic Dolphin have been described in the 45 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. Chapters covering fossil records; conservation of biodiversity via the age old Public Science of the Desert; Anthropological Account of Communities and Tribes; socio-cultural, mythological and historical aspects of faunal conservation and the fauna in retrospect; wildlife trade; ecotourism; climate and other environmental factors like Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojna (IGNP) believed to have changed the ecological face of Western Rajasthan; Protected Area Network; the tiger re-introduction experiment; and community conservation are key attractions. The world famous heronry, tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and some threat-ridden biodiversity rich areas shall certainly draw the attention of readers from around the world.

The last chapter highlighting issues and insights on conservation and management and initiatives and gaps in research will help researchers from India and abroad to identify potential areas of future collaborative work. The strategies suggested herein can be a powerful tool for international conservational advocacy. Supported by rare photographs and paintings, the extensive content has implications for faunal ecology in similar habitats elsewhere on the Earth.

Apart from the floral richness, there is faunal abundance from fishes to mammals. The flagship and threatened species of Tiger; Leopard; Great Indian Bustard and Lesser Florican; White-Napped Tit; Raptors; Demoiselle and Sarus Crane; Chelones; Bats; Wild Ungulates; Small Cats; Bear; Wolf; Wild Dog; Otter; Uromastyx; Giant Flying Squirrel, Gharial and Gangetic Dolphin have been described in the 45 chapters penned by top notch wildlife experts and academics. Chapters covering fossil records; conservation of biodiversity via the age old Publi

The major aim of this work is, to help clarify the interrelationships of catfishes, with major implications on the study of the general evolution of these fishes. A great part of this work, therefore, deals with a cladistic analysis of catfish higher-level phylogeny based on extensive morphological data, in which are included some terminal taxa not included in previous analyses, but principally a large number of characters traditionally excluded from those analyses, with particular attention being given to catfish morphology. This analysis gives particular importance to complex, integrated structures. It will be interest to students, ichthyologists and biologists working in evolution, taxonomy and phylogeny.

In this second edition, the authors present a thorough, advanced review of the interactions between motoneurones and muscles in vertebrates. The book discusses the significance of nerve-muscle interactions for the normal development and maintenance of the vertebrate neuromuscular system and reviews the consequences of their disruption. The plasticity of nerve-muscle interactions and the potential for repair is analyzed, as is the importance of neuromuscular activity in development. The subject is approached from a broad viewpoint and the authors integrate results from many disciplines to illustrate the significance of neuromuscular interaction for normal locomotor activity. This approach makes the book useful for clinical researchers of neuromuscular disease.

The grey wolf is one of the world's most polarizing and charismatic species. Respected, adored, or held in awe by many as an icon of wilderness, wolves have also sparked fear and hatred when they have come into conflict with human presence. Not surprisingly, they are one of the most intensively studied mammalian species in the wild.The World of Wolves offers a fresh and provocative look at current trends in wolf and wildlife management. Representative case studies, from geographically and culturally diverse areas of the world, highlight the existing interconnections between wolves, their prey, their habitat, their ecosystems and people, and the role of science in policy formation and wolf management. In addition, the studies involve many issues (for example, population genetics and livestock husbandry practices) that are entry points into larger aspects of ecology and evolution. This book will appeal to conservationists, scientists, wildlife managers, and anyone seeking a better understanding of wolves and their co-existence with us.

Covering all the species of birds occurring in the areas bordering the Mediterranean, this guide is illustrated throughout with stunning photographs. The regions examined cover some of the most distinctive and birdrich habitats in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, places as popular with sun-seeking holidaymakers as they are with birders. Designed to appeal to both audiences, the guide features photographs of the region's birdlife, with concise descriptive text on facing pages. Digital manipulation of the photographs has been used to ensure a consistent depiction of light conditions, making comparisons between the images easier.

This exciting new reference offers a wealth of practical and technical information on the chemical, physical, and biological effects of intensive rearing conditions on hatchery fish, and the adverse effect these factors can have on their health and physical condition. A unique combination of theory and practical applications is presented throughout the book, providing the scientific basis for managing water quality, fish cultural procedures, and the biological interactions of the fish being produced to prevent diseases and costly production losses. The book begins with a discussion of the physiological functioning of fish under normal conditions. It then explains the interactions between fish and the chemical factors in the rearing environment, including effects of the algal toxins that currently cause serious economic losses in freshwater and marine aquaculture operations world-wide. The next chapter covers the physiological effects of common fish cultural procedures, with emphasis on crowding (density tolerance), handling, and transportation, and effects on smolt development of anadromous salmonids. This section is followed by a discussion of the stress and disease problems that can result from biological interactions between the fish themselves and between fish and facultative and obligate microbial pathogens present in the rearing environment. Emphasis is on methods of preventing stress and disease problems in this section. The book concludes by exploring the biological, physical, and chemical methods of minimizing the fish pathogen load in hatchery water supplies. Thorough and complete, this indispensable resource provides professionals in fishery, biology, aquaculture, and naturalresource management with the basic technical knowledge needed to improve management of the interactions between fish and the chemical, physical, and biological factors in the rearing environment. In addition, this book will serve as a useful text for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in fishery, biology, and zoology.