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A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest (Corrie Herring Hooks Series)
by Samuel BridgewaterBelize's Chiquibul Forest is one of the largest remaining expanses of tropical moist forest in Central America. It forms part of what is popularly known as the Maya Forest. Battered by hurricanes over millions of years, occupied by the Maya for thousands of years, and logged for hundreds of years, this ecosystem has demonstrated its remarkable ecological resilience through its continued existence into the twenty-first century. Despite its history of disturbance, or maybe in part because of it, the Maya Forest is ranked as an important regional biodiversity hot spot and provides some of the last regional habitats for endangered species such as the jaguar, the scarlet macaw, Baird's tapir, and Morelet's crocodile. A Natural History of Belize presents for the first time a detailed portrait of the habitats, biodiversity, and ecology of the Maya Forest, and Belize more broadly, in a format accessible to a popular audience. It is based in part on the research findings of scientists studying at Las Cuevas Research Station in the Chiquibul Forest. The book is unique in demystifying many of the big scientific debates related to rainforests. These include "Why are tropical forests so diverse?"; "How do flora and fauna evolve?"; and "How do species interact?" By focusing on the ecotourism paradise of Belize, this book illustrates how science has solved some of the riddles that once perplexed the likes of Charles Darwin, and also shows how it can assist us in managing our planet and forest resources wisely in the future.
A Natural History of Empty Lots: Field Notes from Urban Edgelands, Back Alleys, and Other Wild Places
by Christopher BrownAn "instant classic", this genre-bending blend of naturalism, memoir, and social manifesto is a fascinating study for rewilding the city, the self, and society (Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times bestselling author). During the real estate crash of the late 2000s, Christopher Brown purchased an empty lot in an industrial section of Austin, Texas. The property—abandoned and full of litter and debris—was an unlikely site for a home. Brown had become fascinated with these empty lots around Austin, so-called &“ruined&” spaces once used for agriculture and industry awaiting their redevelopment. He discovered them to be teeming with natural activity, and embarked on a twenty-year project to live in and document such spaces. There, in our most damaged landscapes, he witnessed the remarkable resilience of wild nature, and how we can heal ourselves by healing the Earth. Beautifully written and philosophically hard-hitting, A Natural History of Empty Lots offers a new lens on human disruption and nature, offering a sense of hope among the edgelands. &“Brown lives far from any conventional battlefield, but he is surrounded by the wreckage of a different war, and he, too, finds hope in cultivating the ruins of nature…A Natural History of Empty Lots is less a departure from the nature writing tradition than a welcome addition to its edgelands.&” —New York Review of Books "The nature writing we need now." —Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts"Incredible" —Kelly Link, Pulitzer Prize finalist
A Natural History of Lake Ontario (Natural History)
by Susan P. GateleyFormed by glaciers more than twelve thousand years ago, Lake Ontario has captivated nature lovers for generations. Unique among the Great Lakes for having once been connected to the sea, fossils from ocean life have been found near the lake's shores. Damage done to Lake Ontario's ecosystem from centuries of human activity was center stage in the fight to pass the Clean Water Act and the restoration that followed. From incredibly diverse bird migrations in the spring and fall to the squalls and lake effect snow in winter, each season offers a rich ecological tapestry. Author Susan P. Gateley charts the natural history of Lake Ontario from its ice age origins to the climate and habitat challenges it faces today.
A Natural History of Love: Author of the National Bestseller A Natural History of the Senses
by Diane AckermanThe bestselling author of A Natural History of the Senses now explores the allure of adultery, the appeal of aphrodisiacs, and the cult of the kiss. Enchantingly written and stunningly informed, this "audaciously brilliant romp through the world of romantic love" (Washington Post Book World) is the next best thing to love itself.
A Natural History of Nature Writing
by Frank StewartA Natural History of Nature Writing is a penetrating overview of the origins and development of a uniquely American literature. Essayist and poet Frank Stewart describes in rich and compelling prose the lives and works of the most prominent American nature writers of the19th and 20th centuries, including: *Henry D. Thoreau, the father of American nature writing. *John Burroughs, a schoolteacher and failed businessman who found his calling as a writer and elevated the nature essay to a loved and respected literary form. *John Muir, founder of Sierra Club, who celebrated the wilderness of the Far West as few before him had. *Aldo Leopold, a Forest Service employee and scholar who extended our moral responsibility to include all animals and plants. *Rachel Carson, a scientist who raised the consciousness of the nation by revealing the catastrophic effects of human intervention on the Earth's living systems. *Edward Abbey, an outspoken activist who charted the boundaries of ecological responsibility and pushed these boundaries to political extremes. Stewart highlights the controversies ignited by the powerful and eloquent prose of these and other writers with their expansive - and often strongly political - points of view. Combining a deeply-felt sense of wonder at the beauty surrounding us with a rare ability to capture and explain the meaning of that beauty, nature writers have had a profound effect on American culture and politics. A Natural History of Nature Writing is an insightful examination of an important body of American literature.
A Natural History of North American Trees
by Donald Culross Peattie"A volume for a lifetime" is how The New Yorker described the first of Donald Culross Peatie's two books about American trees published in the 1950s. In this one-volume edition, modern readers are introduced to one of the best nature writers of the last century. As we read Peattie's eloquent and entertaining accounts of American trees, we catch glimpses of our country's history and past daily life that no textbook could ever illuminate so vividly.Here you'll learn about everything from how a species was discovered to the part it played in our country's history. Pioneers often stabled an animal in the hollow heart of an old sycamore, and the whole family might live there until they could build a log cabin. The tuliptree, the tallest native hardwood, is easier to work than most softwood trees; Daniel Boone carved a sixty-foot canoe from one tree to carry his family from Kentucky into Spanish territory. In the days before the Revolution, the British and the colonists waged an undeclared war over New England's white pines, which made the best tall masts for fighting ships.It's fascinating to learn about the commercial uses of various woods -- for paper, fine furniture, fence posts, matchsticks, house framing, airplane wings, and dozens of other preplastic uses. But we cannot read this book without the occasional lump in our throats. The American elm was still alive when Peattie wrote, but as we read his account today we can see what caused its demise. Audubon's portrait of a pair of loving passenger pigeons in an American beech is considered by many to be his greatest painting. It certainly touched the poet in Donald Culross Peattie as he depicted the extinction of the passenger pigeon when the beech forest was destroyed.A Natural History of North American Trees gives us a picture of life in America from its earliest days to the middle of the last century. The information is always interesting, though often heartbreaking. While Peattie looks for the better side of man's nature, he reports sorrowfully on the greed and waste that have doomed so much of America's virgin forest.
A Natural History of North American Trees
by Donald Culross Peattie"A volume for a lifetime" is how The New Yorker described the first of Donald Culross Peatie's two books about American trees published in the 1950s. In this one-volume edition, modern readers are introduced to one of the best nature writers of the last century. As we read Peattie's eloquent and entertaining accounts of American trees, we catch glimpses of our country's history and past daily life that no textbook could ever illuminate so vividly.Here you'll learn about everything from how a species was discovered to the part it played in our country's history. Pioneers often stabled an animal in the hollow heart of an old sycamore, and the whole family might live there until they could build a log cabin. The tuliptree, the tallest native hardwood, is easier to work than most softwood trees; Daniel Boone carved a sixty-foot canoe from one tree to carry his family from Kentucky into Spanish territory. In the days before the Revolution, the British and the colonists waged an undeclared war over New England's white pines, which made the best tall masts for fighting ships.It's fascinating to learn about the commercial uses of various woods -- for paper, fine furniture, fence posts, matchsticks, house framing, airplane wings, and dozens of other preplastic uses. But we cannot read this book without the occasional lump in our throats. The American elm was still alive when Peattie wrote, but as we read his account today we can see what caused its demise. Audubon's portrait of a pair of loving passenger pigeons in an American beech is considered by many to be his greatest painting. It certainly touched the poet in Donald Culross Peattie as he depicted the extinction of the passenger pigeon when the beech forest was destroyed.A Natural History of North American Trees gives us a picture of life in America from its earliest days to the middle of the last century. The information is always interesting, though often heartbreaking. While Peattie looks for the better side of man's nature, he reports sorrowfully on the greed and waste that have doomed so much of America's virgin forest.
A Natural History of Parenting: A Naturalist Looks at Parenting in the Animal World and Ours
by Susan AllportAnyone who has ever held a baby--or observed a nesting bird--will find much to inform and entertain in this enchantingly written and thoroughly researched book. Allport revels in the marvelous diversity of care in the animal world. She shows us our place in that world with great humor, knowledge, and common sense.
A Natural History of Shells (Princeton Science Library #124)
by Geerat J. VermeijFrom “one of the master naturalists of our time” (American Scientist), a fascinating exploration of what seashells reveal about biology, evolution, and the history of lifeGeerat Vermeij wrote this “celebration of shells” to share his enthusiasm for these supremely elegant creations and what they can teach us about nature. Most popular books on shells emphasize the identification of species, but Vermeij uses shells as a way to explore major ideas in biology. How are shells built? How do they work? And how did they evolve? With lucidity and charm, the MacArthur-winning evolutionary biologist reveals how shells give us insights into the lives of animals today and in the distant geological past.
A Natural History of Trail Ridge Road: Rocky Mountain National Park's Highway to the Sky (Natural History)
by Amy LawConstructed from 1929 to 1932 and opened to tourists and drivers the following year, Trail Ridge Road earned immediate inclusion among the scenic wonders of the world. The new path through the park followed the ancient trail across Tombstone Ridge and offered visitors breathtaking views and a privileged glimpse at unique ecosystems. Today, Trail Ridge Road endures as a truly otherworldly place. It is the country's highest continuous paved road, peaking at over twelve thousand feet and running forty-eight miles. Join author Amy Law on a tour across the Continental Divide and through the history of Colorado's most famous byway.
A Natural History of the Future: What the Laws of Biology Tell Us About the Destiny of the Human Species
by Rob DunnOver the past century, our species has made unprecedented technological innovations with which we have sought to control nature. From river levees to enormous one-crop fields, we continue to try to reshape nature for our purposes - so much so it seems we may be in danger of destroying it.In A Natural History of the Future, biologist Rob Dunn argues that nothing could be further from the truth: rather than asking whether nature will survive us, better to ask whether we will survive nature. Despite our best - or worst - efforts to control the biological world, life has its own rules, and no amount of human tampering can rewrite them. Elucidating several fundamental laws of ecology, evolution, and biogeography, Dunn shows why life cannot be stopped. We sequester our crops on monocultured fields, only to find new life emerging to attack them. We dump toxic waste only to find microbes to colonize it. And even in the London Tube, we have seen a new species of mosquito emerge to take advantage of an apparently inhospitable habitat. Life will not be repressed by our best-laid plans. Instead, Dunn shows us a vision of the biological future and the challenges the next generations could face.A Natural History of the Future sets a new standard for understanding the diversity of life and our future as a species.
A Natural History of the Future: What the Laws of Biology Tell Us About the Destiny of the Human Species
by Rob DunnA leading ecologist argues that if humankind is to survive on a fragile planet, we must understand and obey its iron laws.Over the past century, our species has made unprecedented technological innovations with which we have sought to control nature. From river levees to enormous one-crop fields, we continue to try to reshape nature for our purposes - so much so it seems we may be in danger of destroying it.In A Natural History of the Future, biologist Rob Dunn argues that nothing could be further from the truth: rather than asking whether nature will survive us, better to ask whether we will survive nature. Despite our best - or worst - efforts to control the biological world, life has its own rules, and no amount of human tampering can rewrite them. Elucidating several fundamental laws of ecology, evolution, and biogeography, Dunn shows why life cannot be stopped. We sequester our crops on monocultured fields, only to find new life emerging to attack them. We dump toxic waste only to find microbes to colonize it. And even in the London Tube, we have seen a new species of mosquito emerge to take advantage of an apparently inhospitable habitat. Life will not be repressed by our best-laid plans. Instead, Dunn shows us a vision of the biological future and the challenges the next generations could face.A Natural History of the Future sets a new standard for understanding the diversity of life and our future as a species.(P) 2022 Hachette Audio
A Natural History of the Future: What the Laws of Biology Tell Us about the Destiny of the Human Species
by Rob DunnA leading ecologist argues that if humankind is to survive on a fragile planet, we must understand and obey its iron lawsOur species has amassed unprecedented knowledge of nature, which we have tried to use to seize control of life and bend the planet to our will. In A Natural History of the Future, biologist Rob Dunn argues that such efforts are futile. We may see ourselves as life&’s overlords, but we are instead at its mercy. In the evolution of antibiotic resistance, the power of natural selection to create biodiversity, and even the surprising life of the London Underground, Dunn finds laws of life that no human activity can annul. When we create artificial islands of crops, dump toxic waste, or build communities, we provide new materials for old laws to shape. Life&’s future flourishing is not in question. Ours is.As ambitious as Edward Wilson&’s Sociobiology and as timely as Elizabeth Kolbert&’s The Sixth Extinction, A Natural History of the Future sets a new standard for understanding the diversity and destiny of life itself.
A Natural State: Essays on Texas
by Stephen Harrigan&“The personal essay at its best. What Edward Abbey did for the desert Southwest and what E. B. White did for Maine, Harrigan has done for Texas.&” —Houston Chronicle In this remarkable collection of essays, Stephen Harrigan explores, with an unfailing depth of feeling, the human longing to feel at home in the world of nature. In vivid and convincing prose, he evokes the landscape of his home territory, Texas, and his own reactions, sometimes droll, sometimes haunted, to the extraordinary power of place that Texas projects. &“Like our best nature writers, he tells us not only what&’s out there, but connects it to our everyday lives . . . A Natural State is recommended reading not just for Texans but for all who would explore their connections to the natural world.&” —The Washington Post &“While &‘luminous&’ is not a word that you would think of in connection with the Lone Star State, that&’s what these pieces are . . . They are filled with poetry, wit, and delightfully offbeat observations.&” —The San Diego Union-Tribune &“Harrigan defty weaves fact, historical perspective, and personal experience into a tightly interlaced evocative fabric . . . By the end of the book, he brings the vast Texas landscape within grasp of even the most skeptical reader.&” —The Denver Post &“Harrigan&’s observations are not those of an academically trained naturalist but rather the fresh outlook of a city-bred tourist rejoicing in the exhilaration of discovery.&” —Booklist &“Though several of the essays display a strong ecological bent, the author is never shrill. He is an accomplished prose stylist who combines accurate research with an unerring eye for detail. Highly recommended.&” —Science
A Naturalist Goes Fishing: Casting in Fragile Waters from the Gulf of Mexico to New Zealand's South Islands
by James McClintockIn the tradition of fishing classics, A Naturalist Goes Fishing combines elements of the triumph between fisher and fish, humor and wit, and a passionate concern for the natural environment. James McClintock takes us to some of the most breathtaking waters the world has to offer while capturing the drama and serendipity in the beloved sport of fishing. We follow him and his fishing buddies and professional guides, as he fishes off the marshy barrier islands of Louisiana, teeming with life but also ravaged by recent disasters like the Deepwater Horizon spill. We travel to the remote waters of New Zealand's Stewart Island, where the commercial fishing industry is fast disappearing; fish for gigantic Antarctic toothfish through a drilled ice hole at McMurdo Station; and scout for spotted bass on Alabama's Cahaba River, which has the highest diversity of fresh water fish in North America. As we take this global journey, we see how sea level rise, erosion, pollution, water acidification, and overfishing each cause damage.This strikingly beautiful narrative is a must read for anglers and nature lovers alike.
A Naturalist at Large: The Best Essays of Bernd Heinrich
by Bernd HeinrichSome of the world&’s greatest writings on birds, insects, trees, elephants, and more by a scientist who &“richly deserves the comparison to Thoreau&” (The Washington Post Book World). From one of the finest scientist/writers of our time comes an engaging record of a life spent in close observation of the natural world, one that has yielded &“marvelous, mind-altering&” (Los Angeles Times) insight and discoveries. In essays that span several decades, Heinrich finds himself at home in Maine, where he plays host to visitors from Europe (the cluster flies) and more welcome guests from Asia (ladybugs); and as far away as Botswana, where he unravels the far-reaching ecological consequences of elephants&’ bruising treatment of mopane trees. The many fascinating discoveries in Naturalist at Large include the maple sap harvesting habits of red squirrels, and the &“instant&” flower-opening in the yellow iris as a way of ensuring potent pollination. Heinrich turns to his great love, the ravens, some of them close companions for years, as he designs a unique experiment to tease out the fascinating parameters of raven intelligence. Finally, he asks &“Where does a biologist find hope?&” while delivering an answer that informs and inspires. Praise for Bernd Heinrich &“One of the finest naturalists of our time.&”—Edward O. Wilson &“[Heinrich&’s] ability to linger and simply be there for the moment when, for instance, an elderly spider descends from a silken strand to take the insect he offers her is the heart of his appeal.&”—The Wall Street Journal &“Passionate observations [that] superbly mix memoir and science.&”—The New York Times Book Review
A Naturalist in Alaska
by Adolph MurieThe larger mammals of North America are known mostly to a few big game hunters, while the ordinary public observes them only in captivity or tamed. Very few students of ecology have ever lived with these animals in their native habitat—even fewer have written about them from an ecological viewpoint. In this respect, Adolph Murie is almost unique.This book concerns the domestic ways of the wildlife in Alaska, the grizzly bear, the wolf, the lynx, the wolverine, the Dall sheep, the caribou, and the Arctic fox. But even more fascinating than the life cycles of these creatures are their interrelationships—prey and predator maintaining a delicate balance in one of the few remaining wildernesses of this continent.
A Naturalist's Book of Wildflowers: Celebrating 85 Native Plants In North America
by Laura C. MartinA charmingly illustrated keepsake and guide to native, wild plants of North America. In this exquisitely detailed naturalist’s handbook, Laura C. Martin provides profiles of 85 wild plants and flowers found across North America, each accompanied by lovingly illustrated and charming watercolor paintings. With dozens of notes, arrows, and details, each chapter encourages the reader to look at the plants as a naturalist would—opening up a whole new way of seeing nature. Martin gives details on where the plants can be found, how they grow, how to identify them, and what natural properties they each have. The handbook features plants from across North America, including the Purple Coneflower, found along the East Coast from Quebec to Florida, and the Opuntia (prickly pear) cacti found in Mexico and America’s Southwest. In addition to the wildflower profiles, readers will find information on growing native plants, instructions for plant crafts, tips for conservation, and ideas for activities with children. They’ll also discover recipes for teas, herb mixes, tinctures, and salves using the plants described. Crafts and activities include making dyes, simple baskets, wreaths, and crowns. A Naturalist’s Book of Wildflowers is a gift book and field guide in one, with its treasure trove of handy information and beautiful colored drawings.
A Naturalist's Guide to Ontario
by William Judd J. SpeirsTo the casual observer Ontario appears as an immense territory, stretching from west of the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence, and from Hudson Bay to the southernmost tip of Lake Erie. The naturalist sees more than this vastness: he is aware of the province's great diversity in flora and fauna, and in geology and topography; he sees the province divided into zones and regions, each with its own special natural traits. Over the years some areas, and their special attractions, have become widely known to naturalists, amateur and professional. Others have not been so familiar. It has been difficult for visitors to and residents of Ontario to plan well-arranged trips which will include a number of them. A guide to Ontario, designed specifically for naturalists, has been needed, and this book will fill that need. The combination of scientific accuracy and up-to-date practical information will make it an invaluable part of the naturalist's field equipment. Along with maps and general descriptions of the flora, fauna, and geology of Ontario, this book contains over forty regional guides. Each guide lists, concisely and accurately, up-to-date information on how best to reach the regions that are of interest to the naturalist. There are also descriptions of the geology, plants, trees, birds, and mammals typical of each locale, along with information on rare or unique species, and information on local naturalists and nature clubs. Indexes of place names and names of species, and a list of reference manuals, complete the contents of this unique and valuable guide. It will be equally useful to those who pay occasional weekend visits to the countryside, and wish to know something about the rocks, plants and wildlife they encounter, and to the more serious student of natural history. The guide has been prepared by members of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists and other allied agencies in the hope that it will help encourage a wider appreciation of natural history in Ontario. Sylvia Hahn's attractive drawings indicate some of the great variety of plant and animal life to be found in the province.
A Naturalist's Guide to the Arctic
by E. C. PielouThis is a practical guide to the Arctic's natural history - sky, atmosphere, terrain, ice, the sea, plants, birds, mammals, fish and insects - for those who will experience the Arctic firsthand and also for armchair travellers.
A Naturalist's Guide to the Arctic
by E.C. PielouThis book is a practical, portable guide to all of the Arctic's natural history—sky, atmosphere, terrain, ice, the sea, plants, birds, mammals, fish, and insects—for those who will experience the Arctic firsthand and for armchair travelers who would just as soon read about its splendors and surprises. It is packed with answers to naturalists' questions and with questions—some of them answered—that naturalists may not even have thought of.
A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World: The Voyage of the Beagle
by Charles DarwinWhen On the Origin of Species came out in 1859, it changed the understanding of life and was the foundation of evolutionary biology. All the material that he received for this book was from the famous expeditions he took on the Beagle during the 1830s. This is the story of that voyage.A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World follows Charles Darwin over his almost five-year journey around the world, in which he studied animals, plants, geology, and much more. From the tip of South America and the Galapagos Islands to Australia and Tahiti, Darwin set out to study geology, but ended up finding the information that would lead to his theory of evolution by natural selection.With the original images from Darwin's journal, A Naturalist's Voyage Round the World is an incredible look into the past at one of the most important documentations of a sea voyage ever. The information collected by Darwin changed our world, and now you can relive every moment in his own words and illustrations.
A Nature Guide to Ontario
by Winifred WakeFrom Hudson Bay to Pelee Island, from Rainy River to the Quebec border, Ontario offers a rich variety of experiences for nature-lovers of all ages and interests. A Nature Guide to Ontario showcases more than six hundred of the best sites for viewing the many forms of plant and animal life found across the province. All sites are open to the general public, most are easily accessible, and a surprising number are located in or near the province's biggest cities.The book is divided into seven regions, and sites are listed under county, district, or municipality. Entries contain instructions on how to reach sites, descriptions of the major landscape and habitat features, information about typical as well as important or unusual animals and plants to be found at the site, and an address to contact for more information. Introductory chapters give an overview of Ontario's natural history and its rich and diverse plant and animal life. The book also discusses environmental concerns, offers tips on how to get the most out of an outing, and lists the 'top ten' nature sites in Ontario. There are lists of useful addresses and references, a site index, and an extensive glossary.This volume is a project of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists, whose affiliates and individual members have contributed to the book. A Nature Guide to Ontario, an invaluable reference for all who want to experience and enjoy the best of Ontario's natural areas and wildernesses.
A Nature Lover's Almanac: Kinky Bugs, Stealthy Critters, Prosperous Plants & Celestial Wonders
by Diane OlsonA treasury of nature facts and trivia for every season: &“Get ready to be amazed, delighted, and enlightened.&”—Chip Ward, author of Canaries on the Rim: Living Downwind in the West Did you know that:We all have follicle mites living on our faces?In India, the humble pigeon is a symbol of lust?Jumping spiders sometimes watch TV with you?Healthy garden soil has the same characteristics as a good chocolate cake?The North Pole rarely points north?The caterpillar of the silver-spotted skipper blasts its frass (poop) five feet outside its nest? This collection of fascinating but little-known facts of nature will connect you with the rhythms of the universe even if you live far from the wild—and enlighten you every day of the year. Also included are good tips for gardeners as well as a rundown of what constellations you can see in the night sky each month.
A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics (2nd Edition, Revised and Expanded)
by John KricherA Neotropical Companion is an extraordinarily readable introduction to the American tropics, the lands of Central and South America, their remarkable rainforests and other ecosystems, and the creatures that live there. It is the most comprehensive one-volume guide to the Neotropics available today. Widely praised in its first edition, it remains a book of unparalleled value to tourists, students, and scientists alike. This second edition has been substantially revised and expanded to incorporate the abundance of new scientific information that has been produced since it was first published in 1989. Major additions have been made to every chapter, and new chapters have been added on Neotropical ecosystems, human ecology, and the effects of deforestation. Biodiversity and its preservation are discussed throughout the book, and Neotropical evolution is described in detail. This new edition offers all new drawings and photographs, many of them in color. As enthusiastic readers of the first edition will attest, this is a charming book. Wearing his learning lightly and writing with ease and humor, John Kricher presents the complexities of tropical ecology as accessible and nonintimidating. Kricher is so thoroughly knowledgeable and the book is so complete in its coverage that general readers and ecotourists will not need any other book to help them identify and understand the plants and animals, from birds to bugs, that they will encounter in their travels to the New World tropics. At the same time, it will fascinate armchair travelers and students who may get no closer to the Neotropics than this engagingly written book.