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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Hydrobiology > Marine biology
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Civilization And The Limpet (Paperback, Revised)
Loot Price: R701
Discovery Miles 7 010
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Civilization And The Limpet (Paperback, Revised)
Expected to ship within 10 - 15 working days
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Wells (Zoology/Cambridge Univ.) knows how to write odd, charming,
limpid natural history essays, as demonstrated in these vest-pocket
introductions to some of the more peculiar denizens of the marine
kingdom. Many of the creatures Wells examines here - limpet,
chambered nautilus, lugworm, blue-ringed octopus - are unfamiliar,
but they are by no means freaks. They are fixtures in his world,
the vastness known as marine biology. Just as Wells finds them
absorbing ("knowledge of plants and animals makes the fine grain of
my surroundings more entertaining"), readers will come to give
these living things (even the hideous sea cucumber) at least a
grudging admiration, thanks to Wells's enthusiasm. Certainly,
broader applications than entertainment often apply, for without a
smattering of plant and animal biology, how are we ever going to
"rumble the manifest nonsense sometimes fed to us by politicians,
the odder greens, and the lunatic fringes of the animal rights
movement. At best we might even hope to understand what we are
doing to our own environment." This can mean determining how the
brainless sea urchin coordinates the movement of several hundred
legs or how the strategic advantage of bisexuality helps snails
cope with the otherwise dead end of self-fertilization. He ponders
the role of toxicity: Why are some animals poisonous beyond
comprehension, and why are so many of them in Australia? In the
commonsensical, opinionated tone that marks the collection (though
Wells is never afraid to say "I dunno"), he unravels the
hot-bloodedness of cold-blooded creatures, and the cold bloodedness
of the hot-bloodeds. And, as bewitching as Winslow Homer, Wells
knows how to paint his chosen place, as he goes along under sail at
night in a sea of bioluminescence. These peeks at the wondrous
parade of nature will open your eyes wide with surprise and delight
and provide not a little ammunition to rumble those who would
defile the beauty of the earth. (Kirkus Reviews)
Written during a long sea voyage from England through the
Mediterranean, "Civilization and the Limpet" unveils many
fascinating phenomena of undersea life. Wells captures with
exquisite detail how limpets, like bees, navigate by the stars; how
the brainless sea urchin makes a myriad of critical survival
decisions every day; how "deserted islands" teem with an incredible
abundance of animal life; and why deep-diving whales never get the
bends. Elegant and finely crafted, "Civilization and the Limpet"
will enlighten, amuse, and awe anyone interested in the natural
world.
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