Collins New Naturalist Library
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Butterflies
Number 1 in Series
by E. B. Ford
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A scientific study that keeps in mind the needs of butterfly collectors and of all those who love the country in the hope that it may increase their pleasure by widening the scope of their interests. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com
Dr. Ford, the author of this fascinating volume on butterflies, was an enthusiastic butterfly collector in his youth. He was not only a professional biologist of great distinction but also brought his wide knowledge of genetics and evolution to bear on the problems arising out of his collecting. Thus, he was able to see butterflies both as an absorbing hobby and as part of the great panorama of biology.
The resultant book is an outstanding contribution to Natural History in the best sense of the term. Natural History is not something inferior to science - it is part of science, inviting an approach by way of field study. While, therefore, Dr. Ford's book contains a somewhat higher proportion of scientific history and technical ideas than most books on Natural History, this for the great majority of amateurs will be a stimulus rather than an obstacle, and throughout the author has kept in mind the needs of butterfly collectors and of all those who love the country in the hope that it may increase their pleasure by widening the scope of their interests.
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British Game
Number 2 in Series
by Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald
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British Game ranges beyond the strict legal interpretation of game and is full of interesting details about the birds and beasts that should interest sportsmen. Mr. Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald is the editor of The Field. He is also a considerable naturalist in his own right. It will be a simple matter for the reader to determine this for himself, for at every page he will discover the original observations and personal opinions of the writer. Mt. Vesey-Fitzgerald is not only extremely well informed in the scientific aspects of the natural history of the birds and mammals with which he deals, but he is also a countryman of wide experience, a wild-fowler, Vice-President of the Gamekeepers Association, a friend of gypsies and we suspect of poachers. All these things fit him well to describe the natural history of British Game and put it in a proper perspective. His book ranges beyond the strict legal interpretation of game and is full of interesting details about the birds and beasts that should interest sportsmen, and all too frequently to not. But all readers will be attracted by the author's easy flow of information on a variety of topics.
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London's Natural History
Number 3 in Series
by R. S. R. Fitter
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London's Natural History describes how the spread of man's activities has affected the plants and animals in them, destroying some and creating others. Up to now there has been no real attempt to write a comprehensive history of a great human community in terms of the animals and plants it has displaced, changed, moved and removed, introduced, conserved, lost or forgotten. In selecting London as an area for such study Mr. Fitter, himself a Londoner, takes the world's largest aggregation of human beings living in a single community and in many ways the most interesting perhaps of all regions of the British Isles, and shows how the spread of man's activities has affected the plants and animals in them, destroying some, creating others. Wild birds like the rook and jackdaw have been driven further from St. Paul's by the relentless advance of London's tide of bricks, others like the woodpigeon and moorhen have moved in to colonise those oases of greenery, the parks. The influence of international trade has brought many new creatures to the Port of London, most of them undesirable.
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Britain's Structure and Scenery
Number 4 in Series
by L. Dudley Stamp
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Britains Structure and Scenery deals with the physical background, the stage on which the drama of life is played and which provides the fundamental environment for plants, newnaturalists.com It would be difficult to find an area of comparable size anywhere in the world with such a variety of physical conditions, scenery and consequently of plant and animal life as the British Isles. Our homeland is indeed a geological museum, epitomising in miniature the geological history of the globe. Each hill and valley, each plateau and plain reflects the underlying geological structure or build; this volume attempts not only to describe the surface features, but also to sketch the long and complex series of events which have given the land its present form - the building of the British Isles. It thus deals with the physical background, the stage on which the drama of life is played and which provides the fundamental environment for plants, animals and man.
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Natural History in the Highlands and Islands
Number 6 in Series
by F. Fraser Darling
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The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are rugged moorland, alpine mountains and jagged coast with remarkable natural history. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com The Highlands and Islands of Scotland are rugged moorland, alpine mountains and jagged coast with remarkable natural history, including relict and specialised animals and plants. Here are animals in really large numbers: St. Kilda with its sea-birds, North Rona its seals, Islay its wintering geese, rivers and lochs with their spawning salmon and trout, the ubiquitous midges! This is big country with red deer, wildcat, pine marten, badger, otter, fox, ermine, golden eagle, osprey, raven, peregrine, grey lag, divers, phalaropes, capercaillie and ptarmigan. Off-shore are killer whales and basking sharks. Here too in large scale interaction is forestry, sheep farming, sport, tourism and wild life conservation.
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Mushrooms and Toadstools
Number 7 in Series
by John Ramsbottom
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Britain's neglect of fungi as table delicacies has perhaps been responsible for our surprising ignorance of the natural history of such fascinating plants.
Britain's neglect of fungi as table delicacies has perhaps been responsible for our surprising ignorance of the natural history of such fascinating plants. Puffballs, more than a foot in diameter; mouls in jam-pots; dry rot; truffles; these are examples of the wide range of the Group, comprising over 100,000 species.
Many are of economic importance - for example, the rusts that attack wheat and other crops, and the yeasts which ferment beer - and there are others of great biological interest, such as the mycorrhizal fungi which live in association with the roots of forest trees, orchids and other plants, and help them to absorb food from the soil. Penicillin, of course, has become a household word, and this book's final chapter on the industry is one of the best short accounts of the subject yet written.
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Insect Natural History
Number 8 in Series
by A. D. Imms
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Insect Natural History introduces the reader to some of the latest discoveries and ideas about British Insects. This volume deals with the natural history of British insects, and introduces the reader to some of the latest discoveries and ideas about them. The author has brought together within convenient compass a large amount of scientific knowledge, often of absorbing interest; and he describes many of the remarkable features associated with the lives of insects. Only limited treatment is given to butterflies and moths, since there are several excellent books on these insects that are readily accessible, including Dr. Ford's volume on Butterflies in the New Naturalist. When it comes to other insects, beetles, two-winged flies, plant bugs, bees, lacewings and the like, it is much less easy to find out much about them. Books on such insects are few and far between, and most of them are rather technical in character. An increasing number of people are interested in the insects of our countryside, and this book is intended to fill at least some of their needs. It will increase their pleasure in observing the creatures with which it deals and may, perhaps, induce some of its readers to become independent observers. There is a great field to be explored by anyone who is Drawn to look beneath the mere surface and study in detail any of the very commonest of our insects, no matter to what groups the latter may belong. One of the special features of the book is the large number of color photographs of different aspects of insect life. Almost all of these were taken by Mr. Beaufoy from the living insects. Mr. Beaufoy is an outstanding expert in nature photography. There are forty colored plates, of which only seven were taken from dead and 'set' specimens. The author is well known in the world of biologists. Until recently he held the important post of Reader in Entomology at Cambridge. He has written several leading textbooks on entomology.
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A Country Parish
Number 9 in Series
by A. W. Boyd
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The natural history of an ordinary English country parish was one of the first subjects that suggested themselves when the New Naturalist series was planned. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com The natural history of an ordinary English country parish was one of the first subjects that suggested themselves when the New Naturalist series was planned. Being chiefly farmland and therefore practically all man-made, most country parishes are extremely complex from the naturalist's point of view and also inevitably contain a vast amount of human history. Any attempt to describe their plants and animals has to be closely related with the ways of man himself, who must be regarded as the chief element in the community - a fact which has been obvious enough to naturalists ever since the days of Gilbert White. For this book we are fortunate to have found an author who combines a thorough all-round knowledge of natural history with a sound insight into human customs, history, pastimes and farming methods. Arnold Boyd has lived in Cheshire all his life - since 1902 in the parish of Antrobus, part of the old parish of Great Budworth, the character of which is typical of much of the Cheshire Plain. In keeping with the best tradition of English amateur naturalists, he excels as a collector of facts, as has been apparent from his previous books, his writing in the Manchester Guardian and other journals, and in his assistant editorship of British Birds. By weaving together his collection of facts he presents us with a book of remarkable unity and which shows a wide grasp of every aspect of the living communities. This charming yet erudite portrait will protect his beloved parish forever from the ravages of human forgetfulness.
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Mountains and Moorlands
Number 11 in Series
by W. H. Pearsall
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An invaluable introduction to the upland regions of Britain - their structure, climate, vegetation and animal life, their present and past uses and the problems of their conservation for the future. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Moorland, mountain-top and upland grazing occupy over a third of the total living-space of the British Isles, and, of all kinds of land, have suffered least interference by man. Mountains and moorlands provide the widest scope for studying natural wild life on land. Professor Pearsall died in 1964. This new edition has been revised by his friend and pupil, Winifred Pennington. The book remains an invaluable introduction to the upland regions of Britain - their structure, climate, vegetation and animal life, their present and past uses and the problems of their conservation for the future.
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The Sea Shore
Number 12 in Series
by C. M. Yonge
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A comprehensive, authoritative account of the natural history of the seashore, from earliest times to the present day.
There is a greater variety of plants and animals to be found in a small section of the sea shore than in any other comparable area. This is due mainly to the zoning of life in relation to depth below the surface, partly to the effect of the tides, and partly to the radically different habitats provided by rock, sand and mud.
In addition, many large groups are wholly or almost wholly marine, so that it is only on the sea shore that the ordinary man and woman can make acquaintance with them. Thus all the Echinoderms, the sea-urchins, star-fish, brittle-stars and sea-cucumbers are confined to salt water; the entire class of tunicates with the sea squirts and salps; almost all the Bryozoa and the jelly-fish; all the corals, and sea-anemones; all the octopus and cuttlefish; nearly all the red and all the brown seaweeds. Many other groups show much greater variety of marine than of freshwater or land forms - for instance the crustacean, the fish, the bivalve and gastropod molluscs, and various groups of worms. On the other hand, the insects, so ubiquitous elsewhere, are almost entirely absent from salt water.
The natural history of the sea shore is thus the best possible introduction to a general knowledge of the animal and plant kingdom, with the exception of the few highest groups; and it also affords an almost diagrammatic introduction to ecological study with its demonstration of the way in which the types of animals and plants are modified to suit different environments.
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Life in Lakes and Rivers
Number 15 in Series
by T. T. Macan
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Life in Lakes and Rivers reveals to us not only the fascination of the world of fresh waters, but the excitement and delight of finding out more about it. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com The study of life in British lakes and rivers is one of that has been unduly neglected in natural history publications. Dr. Macan and Dr. Worthington are particularly well equipped to provide the readers of the New Naturalist series with a work that is both authoritative and of outstanding interest, since for many years they have been connected with the freshwater biological station of Wray Castle at Windermere in the English Lakes. It has long been emphasized by teachers of ecology that the intricacies of the animal and plant community as a whole can be readily studied in a pond or lake. This is made admirably clear by the authors. The solutions to the many problems, which form the observation of life in lakes and rivers, have themselves created other absorbing problems, wider and more fundamental than perhaps ever suspected, and which reach far into the very structure of biology. In spite of its importance, the majority of the public know surprisingly little about the subject. Anglers know only one side of it; holiday makers mostly skim the surface if it. Dr. Macan and Dr. Worthington now reveal to us not only the fascination of the world of fresh waters, but the excitement and delight of finding out more about it.
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Wild Flowers of Chalk and Limestone
Number 16 in Series
by J. E. Lousley
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Wild Flowers of Chalk and Limestone will urge many to follow in the author's footsteps in search of the rich flora which make our chalk downs and limestone cliffs so fascinating to explore. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Few areas can boast so many rare and beautiful wild flowers as those of the chalk and limestone. Few areas, too, have so much lovely scenery in which to search them out. Mr. Lousley's vivid and authoritative presentation of his subject shows that he has made full use of these opportunities. His special affection is for the woods and chalk downs of south-eastern England, of which he has a knowledge almost unsurpassed. Nevertheless, in this book he has also given us an admirable survey of all the important limestone regions in the country from the Devonian formation at Berry Head to the oolite of the Cotswolds and the great carboniferous stretches of the north. This book will urge many to follow in the author's footsteps in search of the rich flora which make our chalk downs and limestone cliffs so fascinating to explore.
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Birds and Men
Number 17 in Series
by E. M. Nicholson
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Revealing the impact of civilisation upon our bird life, with particular reference to the species that have come to rely largely on types of habitat greatly modified or actually formed by human action. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com
This, the first book on birds in the New Naturalist main series, is undoubtedly one of the most important contributions to the literature of British ornithology of recent years. Its subject is the impact of civilisation upon our bird life, with particular reference to the species that have come to rely largely on types of habitat greatly modified or actually formed by human action. Mr. Nicholson is already well known to many for his popularisation of the scientific study of birds as a means of their protection, and it is not surprising, therefore, that this volume should also be concerned with the ways in which birds and men can live happily together. Readers will be delighted by his combination of the aesthetic approach with serious criticism, and particularly by the note of optimism in the book - the suggestion that not all the works of man are fated to destroy nature, and that some of them are likely to improve the quality and variety of our birds. From the ornithological point of view, we have an interesting half-century before us. It is extremely probable that at the end of it BIRDS AND MEN will still be widely read, and quarried for facts and conclusions by the next generation of naturalists.
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Wild Orchids of Britain
Number 19 in Series
by V. S. Summerhayes
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A treasure for all lovers of wild plants - Wild Orchids of Britain provides a detailed account of all our orchid species, varieties and hybrids, and has a useful key to identification. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Now published in ebook format, with a complete set of new distribution maps from the Atlas of the British Flora, this beautiful book remains the standard work in its subject, a treasure for all lovers of wild plants. Dr. Dummerhayes, in charge of the orchid collection at Kew from 1924 to 1964, looks at our fifty-odd species in relation to the vast orchid family throughout the world, discusses their general biology and natural history in Britain, gives a detailed account of all our orchid species, varieties and hybrids, and provides a useful key to identification. The color photographs represent every known British species with the exception of Orchis cruenta and O. occidentals.
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Climate and the British Scene
Number 22 in Series
by Gordon Manley
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From Chaucer's sweet April showers to the peasoupers of Sherlock Holmes the British scene cannot be contemplated without climate entering in.
From Chaucer's sweet April showers to the peasoupers of Sherlock Holmes the British scene cannot be contemplated without climate entering in. In this book Professor Manley shows us the best and worst of our much-maligned climate. He traces the subtle influence of sunshine and cloud, of dew, mist, rain, hail and snow, of heat and cold on the changing scene through the seasons. We often apologize for our climate, but in many ways it is the best in the world. No great extremes of heat of cold, no dreaded droughts, no destructive hurricanes, yet a marked seasonal rhythm with lots of little surprises. The richness of plant and animal life, the extremely high productivity of our farmlands, the fleeting beauties of our landscape - all are closely linked with Britain's climate.
It may justly be claimed that this is the first book to attempt scientifically to trace these intimate yet elusive relationships.
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The Sea Coast
Number 25 in Series
by J. A. Steers
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The Sea Coast shows in a persuasive and compelling way the origin and evolution of cliffs, estuaries, sea marshes, sand dunes and the communities of plants and animals that they support.
Britain's coasts have everything, from towering cliffs rising sheer from deep water to a thousand feet and more, to miles of tidal slobs and flats, restless shingle spits, shifting beaches, immobile rock headlands. The extraordinary consequences of a varied climate and a complicated geology are shown even more effectively in Britain's coasts than in her fascinating island scenery.
Our greatest authority on coastal topography, Professor Steers, has studied the nature of Britain's sea-side and the evolution of coasts and coastline for most of his life. A past Professor of Geography of Cambridge University, he made the now famous comprehensive survey of our entire coastline. His book shows in a persuasive and compelling way the origin and evolution of cliffs, estuaries, sea marshes, sand dunes and the communities of plants and animals that they support.
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Dartmoor
Number 27 in Series
by L. A. Harvey
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Dartmoor explores the complex and fascinating history of one of southern England's greatest National Parks, an area of enormous interest to naturalists and tourists alike.
The loneliest wilderness in England. This has been said more often of Dartmoor than any other part of our country. Traditionally in the world of fiction as well as that of fact, Dartmoor has been renowned as a vast empty moorland area, the property of nature rather than of man. It has always been the public's idea of a lonely place. Not many generations ago, it was regarded with a certain amount of awe. Nowadays it is one of our most important centres of recreation and an island up upland England of abundant interest to the naturalist. In 1951, it was nominated a National Park, one of the first of several places that have been so designated in Great Britain.
This moorland-covered island of granite, once regarded as forbidding, now, to the most of us, romantic, rises inn the midst of a rolling sea of red Devon farmland. Here groups of devoted naturalists are attempting to west from nature some of her closely guarded secrets. Geologists seek the true origin of the valuable pockets of china clay, or even of granite itself. Botanists delve into the relationship between the present vegetation and the relict fragments of native woodland which grow higher than any other woods in Britain. In contrast with the world of stranger isolation in the heart of Dartmoor, where the ponies roam and the black-faced sheep graze, is a fringe of lively villages like Widdicombe, whose very name spells romance.
L.A. Harvey, skilled and widely experienced naturalist, Professor in the University College of the South-west at Exeter, has collaborated with the learned D. St Leger-Gordon to make Dartmoor a balanced and consistent book, full of new syntheses and original ideas. The ideal natural history book is that which shows not only wild nature, but man's place in it. By this token, and many others, Dartmoor is such a book.
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Sea-Birds
Number 28 in Series
by James Fisher
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Sea-Birds introduces us to the sea-birds of the North Atlantic, an ocean in which about half the world sea-bird species have been seen at one time or another. Few of the higher animals have successfully invaded the polar regions and the sea; but those that have - the whales, seals and sea-birds - have made a wonderful success of it. There are only about 250 true sea-birds in the world (there are over thirty times as many others); yet among this select 250 are some of the most numerous and well-adapted of living species, ranging from the magnificent albatrosses, with their powers of sail-planing, to the curious diving petrels; from the penguins to the auks; from the cormorants to the gulls and terns. The arctic tern makes the longest migratory journey of any known bird, travelling 20,000 miles between the two polar regions in the course of a year. Some sea-birds species probably spend the first seven or eight years of their lives without ever touching land; and one, the emperor penguin, never touches land in its life, for it incubates its egg on the Antarctic ice! This book introduces the reader to the sea-birds of the North Atlantic, an ocean in which about half the world sea-bird species have been seen at one time or another. Sea-birds are generally more cosmopolitan and widespread than most land birds; and it is no surprise to the ornithologist to find that the communities on the American and European sides of the Atlantic are very similar, most of their member-species being common to both. The authors of this book have spent most of their active lives in research on sea-birds, Lockley specialising in Life-histories, Fisher in distribution and numbers. Each has a long record of exploration of the remotest parts of the Atlantic coast and islands. Their felicitous collaboration brings home for the first time to the general bird-watcher and sea-going naturalist what enormous strides have been recently made in our knowledge of sea-birds. We now know the world population of several species, and can follow with accuracy the changes in the numbers of many.
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The World of the Honeybee
Number 29 in Series
by Colin G. Butler
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The mysteries of bee life are illuminated for beekeepers, entomologists and students of natural history in general. The complex and wonderful organization of the honeybee has fascinated many naturalists and writers, but the New Naturalist is fortunate in securing for its library what is undoubtedly one of the finest and most comprehensive treatises on the subject. For many years' head of the research station at Rothamsted, Dr. Butler's own discoveries (particularly the existence of "queen substance") are truly remarkable. Skilfully woven into the book are the results of the work of others - such as that of von Frisch on the orientation of bees, and the almost incredible way in which information is conveyed about the distance and direction of food sources, by beautiful, extraordinary dances. The copious illustrations are all taken by the author and are marvels of close-up photography. This edition contains the finding of latest research, including the discovery of the sex attractant released by the queen and its function; and exactly how the piping sounds made by the emerging queen are produced.
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The Open Sea
Number 34 in Series
by Alister Hardy
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The New Naturalist editors believe this to be the greatest general work on the subject ever written. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Professor Alistair Hardy is truly obsessed by animals of the sea - devotedly enthusiastic about the nature of their adaptations and life histories, brilliantly critical in the examination of their mysteries, acutely lucid (and at the same time highly artistic) in his descriptions of them in his arresting plates. To describe the relatively unknown and mysterious world of plankton is a task that the greatest of marine zoologists might boggle at. Yet the plankton is to the sea what vegetation is to the land. The study of plankton is a complex discipline, which few amateur naturalists have had the privilege to enjoy. Never before has such a synthesis of knowledge been attempted in a community of animals so mysterious, yet so important. Professor Hardy has grasped this problem in a new and exciting way; and at least the common reader can discern the pattern of life that dominates two-thirds of the world's surface.
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Insect Migration
Number 36 in Series
by C. B. Williams
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Highlighting the significance of the widespread distribution of the migratory habit throughout the insect world. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com This is a pioneer book, a real milestone in the progress of biology. Only in recent years, have the scientists begun to realize the significance of the widespread distribution of the migratory habit throughout the insect world. Dr.. Williams's own personal observations and adventures have played a fundamental part in the wakening of human consciousness to the extent to which insects migrate. His opportunities of studying the problem in remote corners of the world - such as British Guiana, Costa Rica, Egypt, Tanganyika and the Pyrenees - make the book as exciting as a world detective story. For Insect Migration deals with the subject on an international basis, with Britain - the home of the development of the present theories - as the natural peg on which a biological problem belonging to the world can properly be hung. From 1932 to 1955 C. B. Williams was chief entomologist at the Rothamsted Experimental Station. This book is the distillation of a subject which has occupied him for nearly the whole of his life. His theories are marshalled and summarized with modesty, economy and skill. The New Naturalist is honored to publish what will certainly prove to be, above all things, the stimulus for new search and fresh discoveries.
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The Folklore of Birds
Number 39 in Series
by Edward A. Armstrong
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Tracing the magico-religious beliefs surrounding birds as far back in time as is possible, to the cultures in which these beliefs arose. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Edward A Armstrong is already known to readers of the New Naturalist as the author of the remarkable study on the wren. His wide scholarship and talents have fitted him outstandingly for this book, which could only have been written by a man with his deep understanding, not only of ornithology, but of social anthropology, psychology and comparative religion. Mr. Amstrong has selected a number of familiar birds - such as the swan, the raven, the owl, the robin and the wren - and has traced magico-religious beliefs concerning them as far back as possible to the cultures in which these beliefs arose. With the scientist's eye and methods of analysis he has examined the development of myth and ritual with originality and ingenuity. Many odd and interesting facts are cited, and explanations are given, for example of the customs of breaking the wish-bone, and of fables concerning weather-prophet birds and the generation of the Barnacle Goose from shell-fish. This book is the first treatment of a group of folklore beliefs as a series of artefacts are treated by an archaeologist, classifying them in order according to epochs. Archaeological data, as well as oral and literary traditions, have been used to illustrate the origins and significance of the current folklore. The illustrations are of exceptional quality and consist of over 140 carefully chosen photographs and line drawings from worldwide sources.
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Bumblebees
Number 40 in Series
by John B. Free
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This group of relatively large, colorful and familiar insects are a very popular subject of study because their behavior can be observed without the use of elaborate equipment. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com This group of relatively large, colorful and familiar insects are a very popular subject of study because their behavior can be observed without the use of elaborate equipment.
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The Broads
Number 46 in Series
by A. E. Ellis
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The Broads discusses the history of the Broads, the people who come into contact with and influence these waterways, and what the future holds. The unique complex of eastern English wetlands known as the Norfolk Broads is an outstanding example of Man's exploitation of nature: the Broads are almost entirely artificial, waterlogged pits left by medieval turf-cutters. Largely owing to their origin they are astonishingly varied. Some contain fresh water, some salt, others are brackish. Some have sharply defined banks, heavily wooded; others are set in mud-banks, covered in reeds and bulrushes. A few are deep, more are shallow, some are almost entirely overgrown, no longer open water but swamp. A few are part of river courses, most are included in Drainage systems, and a number are completely land-locked. Some are private, but many more are open to the public. This variety of shape, size and setting is reflected in the fantastic richness of their natural history. They provide a setting for multitudinous species of birds, of insects, of flowers and of grasses; some of these, like the swallowtail butterfly, can be seen nowhere else in this country. Mr. Ellis, a leading authority on the region, owns and lives on Wheatfen Broad. Over many years, he has compiled, with the help of other experts, this general guide to the natural history of the Broads. For the tourist there is a lively account of the history and nature of the Broads, what they are and what they contain, which will both help to identify the obvious and suggest things worth looking for. For the naturalist there are also detailed lists of broadland species, both flora and fauna, including a unique long appendix on broadland insects. As with all New Naturalist regional volumes, the book is fully illustrated with maps, diagrams and photographs.
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Grass and Grassland
Number 48 in Series
by Ian Moore
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The use of natural and seeded grass pastures for the feeding of livestock and other unfamiliar uses for the ubiquitous grass family are described in this succinct and beautifully illustrated work. The New Naturalist series has already covered many facets of the interrelationship between man and nature, but the grass family is probably the most important man in the whole plant kingdom - just how important is shown in this book. Dr. Moore, the Principal of Seale Hayne Agricultural College in Devon, is our leading authority on grasses and their utilization. His special interest is the use of natural and seeded grass pastures for the feeding of livestock. Striking advances have been made in recent years in the improvement of such pastures and Dr.. Moore deals very fully with this vital link in the feeding of the human race; but he also covers that other equally important role of the grass family in our economy, the cultivation of cereal crops for the production of grain. Grass lawns and playing fields form a centerpiece in most British gardens and public parks and there is a chapter on these, but the horticultural value of grasses as ornamental plants in herbaceous borders and woodland gardens is less well known. These and many other unfamiliar uses for the ubiquitous grass family are described in this succinct work.
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Pesticides and Pollution
Number 50 in Series
by Kenneth Mellanby
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Pesticides and Pollution examines the problems of pollution of air, land, river, and the sea, by herbicides, pesticides, sewage, industrial effluents, gases, radiation, leakages, over-drainage, mistakes and mismanagement, in Britain today. From an objective and scientific standpoint, Dr. Mellanby examines the problems of pollution of air, land, river, and the sea, by herbicides, pesticides, sewage, industrial effluents, gases, radiation, leakages, over-drainage, mistakes and mismanagement, in Britain to-day. He sets out to placate neither farmers nor naturalists, but to explain in each case what is happening, to point to both dangers and practical necessities, and to discuss what steps should be taken. Dr. Mellanby is Director of the Nature Conservancy's Monks Wood Experimental Station, was head of the Entomology department at Rothamsted, and for many years before that did research in medical entomology both in Britain and the tropics.
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Finches
Number 55 in Series
by Ian Newton
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This illustrated survey of finch behavior is a thorough, non-technical account of the habits of these birds throughout the world. Greenfinches nest in plantations, large shrubby gardens and churchyards with lots of evergreens, thickets and tall hedges. After breeding, goldfinches forage on waste land, overgrown rubbish dumps, neglected allotments of food, and rough pastures. Bullfinches, in their breeding season, develop in the floor of their mouths special pouches in which food for the young is retained. These pouches open, one on each side of the tongue and, when full, extend back under the jaws as far as the neck, when they together hold about one cubic centimeter of food. Cocks of the Chaffinch and Brambling species sing in the breeding season to repel other cocks and attract hens. This illustrated survey of finch behavior is a thorough, non-technical account of the habits of these birds throughout the world. Dr. Newton uses his extensive bird-watching experience and knowledge of the published literature to document the main patterns of feeding, development of feathers, breeding, and migration. As a result, he presents the changing relationship of the birds to their environment. The author is on the staff of the Nature Conservancy at Edinburgh, Scotland. His several scientific papers on finches have appeared in Birds, Journal of Animal Ecology and other scholarly periodicals.
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Ants
Number 59 in Series
by M. V. Brian
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Ants should provide both the amateur naturalist and the professional zoologist with a valuable source of reference, and a fascinating account of the lives of an intriguing group of insects. Ants have always exercised a fascination that extends beyond the world of biology. They have attracted the attention of poets and Dramatists, and also of those philosophers and political theorists who have envied their apparent industry and rigid and complex communal organization. The social life of ants is indeed extraordinary. It forms the basis of their entire lives; an ant on its own has no chance of survival. Ants are the only group of insects in which there are no solitary species at all. In this book Dr. Brian, the country's leading authority on ants, brings together the results of recent research (much of it his own) into the zoology, ecology and social life of the group. Dr. Brian begins by discussing the relationship of ants to other insects, their anatomy and physiology, and then turns to the different species of British ant (with an identification key), feeding, including aphid 'farming' and the specialized role of the workers in acting as travelling food containers for the nest itself, the rearing of the young and the different caste systems (including the life history of the queen), the ecological significance of ants, and the role they play in the lives of other animals. Particular attention is paid to the importance of communication in the ant society, and there is a complete section of distribution maps - one for each of the 47 British Species - compiled according to the latest available data. There are 16 plates of black and white photographs and two color plates of ant species specially painted for this volume by Gordon Riley. This book should provide both the amateur naturalist and the professional zoologist with a valuable source of reference, and a fascinating account of the lives of an intriguing group of insects.
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British Birds of Prey
Number 60 in Series
by Leslie H. Brown
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Leslie Brown's account of our 15 resident, 7 vagrant and 2 migrant species of eagles, falcons, hawks and vultures in Britain presents a great mass of scientific information about our birds of prey in a manner as attractive to the general reader as to the dedicated ornithologist.
The diurnal raptors are among the most arresting and dramatic of British bird species, from the magnificent and immense golden eagle of the Highlands to the more widespread but equally spectacular peregrine falcon and the frequent and adaptable kestrel of motorways and urban ledges.
Leslie Brown's account of our 15 resident, 7 vagrant and 2 migrant species of eagles, falcons, hawks and vultures in Britain presents a great mass of scientific information about these birds in a manner as attractive to the general reader as to the dedicated ornithologist. Each of the resident species is discussed in detail - its status, past and present; its feeding and hunting behaviour; its life history; its breeding behaviour; migration and the threats to its survival. Then the biology of the birds of prey, changes in their habitat and status, their food habits, breeding behaviour, their territories and populations are examined in depth in separate chapters.
An acknowledged world authority on birds of prey - co-author with Dean Amadon of Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World, and author of many other books besides - Leslie Brown is immensely enthusiastic; and the many tables, maps, figures and bibliography are all indicative of the thoroughness of his research.
Also illustrated with 40 superb black and white photographs.
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Inheritance and Natural History
Number 61 in Series
by R. J. Berry
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Ever wondered why primroses have three sorts of flowers; or about pesticide resistance in rats and mice, mosquitoes and green-fly; antibiotic resistance in disease organisms - all are examples of genetical adjustment, explained in this book. This absorbing book is about genetics as it applies to the world around us. Its main aim is to show the ways in which inherited variation can help to explain the properties of natural populations: the differences between individuals, the extent and mechanism for transmitting characteristics from one generation to another, and the factors which control the frequency of a trait in a local group. It is thus of interest not only to naturalists but also to farmers and gardeners - indeed it is highly relevant to each one of us in the context of modern social planning. Professor Berry's explanations, combining laboratory techniques for the biochemical study of changes in cells, an understanding of modern genetics, and field observations by himself and others, are addressed not just to the earnest student but to all those who wonder why people or organisms differ - why snails are striped; why mice have longer tails in Scotland than in England; why primroses have three sorts of flowers; or about melanic forms of moths, spiders and ladybirds in industrial areas; pesticide resistance in rats and mice, mosquitoes and green-fly; antibiotic resistance in disease organisms - all examples of genetical adjustment. Illustrated with 110 drawings, 12 colour and 19 black and white photographs.
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British Tits
Number 62 in Series
by Christopher Perrins
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In addition to dealing with the general biology and behavior of the birds, Dr. Perrins gives full attention to such things as their social lives, their intelligence and adaptiveness, and their puzzling ability to adjust their population sizes to the future availability of food.
Because of their ubiquity and apparent boldness, the tits are among the most easily observed, and the most popular, of all British birds. The Blue Tit, particularly, is an attractive and confident bird and will arrive at a well-stocked bird table, or at a bag of peanuts outside a window, within a few minutes of its being set out.
Curiously, little has been written about tits for the general naturalist. In this book, Christopher Perrins, who succeeded the late David Lack at the Edward Grey Institute of Ornithology in Oxford, sets out to remedy this omission. Dr Perrins has spent many years studying these small birds in great detail and has himself made many important discoveries about their lives and behavior.
The book deals with seven species of tit. These include the six members of the true tits - Coal, Great, Blue, Crested, Marsh and Willow Tits - as well as the more distantly related Long-tailed Tit. In addition to dealing with the general biology and behavior of the birds, Dr. Perrins gives full attention to such things as their social lives, their intelligence and adaptiveness, and their puzzling ability to adjust their population sizes to the future availability of food. Dr. Perrin's study demonstrates that there is much unsuspected complexity - some of it still not clearly understood - in the lives of even the most popular of groups of birds; as such it will be of interest to every birdwatcher, amateur and professional alike.
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The Natural History of Wales
Number 66 in Series
by William. M. Condry
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This book is an attempt to survey the natural history of the whole of Wales. It therefore covers such areas as Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons as well as the spectacularly beautiful Pembrokeshire coast and the less well-known but no less interesting areas of mid-Wales.
Wales is a country of great geographical and biological diversity, a largely mountainous land whose eastern scarps overlook the richer plains of Mercia. William Condry is an acute observer of the potentialities of terrain, and particularly in respect of wildlife habitats. The author of the distinguished volume on Snowdonia in the New Naturalist series, he is the ideal person to write about one of the best-known and best-loved parts of Great Britain.
This book is an attempt to survey the natural history of the whole of Wales. It therefore covers such areas as Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons as well as the spectacularly beautiful Pembrokeshire coast and the less well-known but no less interesting areas of mid-Wales.
Describing each kind of terrain in turn, William Condry has explored and surveyed the face of this unique land as few others have done. Beginning with corries, crags and summits, he goes on to consider moorlands, mires and conifers. There then follow rivers, lakes and marshes; the native woodlands; limestone flora; farmlands, villages and estates; the industrial scene; and finally perhaps the most striking terrain of all, the coast. This encompasses polders, peatlands, beaches, dunes and estuaries as well as cliffs, headlands and island.
Within each of these areas William Condry brings a wealth of experience to bear on the more obvious aspects of wildlife - flowering plants and ferns, mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. Important rarities such as the Snowdon lily or the red kite are, of course, included, but always with the intention of establishing a proper respect for their conservation.
Affectionate and thoroughly informative, full of insights into local history and always a delight to read, this is a magnificent introduction to Wales and its countryside.
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Farming and Wildlife
Number 67 in Series
by Kenneth Mellanby
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Farming and Wildlife argues forcefully that wild species are, in fact, beneficial to the land as a whole: without them its productivity will fall and farming will inevitably suffer.
Farming and wildlife affect each other in many, often subtle, ways. Yet most recent developments in farming have been harmful to wild plants and animals. As the land is made to yield more, so rare species become rarer or extinct, and even common ones are now absent from large areas of the country. This timely and provocative book argues forcefully that wild species are, in fact, beneficial to the land as a whole: without them its productivity will fall and farming will inevitably suffer.
The main changes in farming practice and their environmental effects are dealt with systematically. Successive chapters discuss arable cropping, grassland management, animal husbandry, hedgerow removal, land drainage and the use of pesticides. Considered also are the care of the soil and its inhabitants - important and often overlooked forms of wildlife - possible damage to livestock by diseases of wild animals, and the effects of hunting and shooting. Professor Mellanby writes throughout with an understanding of the problems of both farmers and conservationists. This is a most persuasive account of why they should now work together to preserve the countryside's fauna and flora.
Professor Kenneth Mellanby is the author of the highly acclaimed New Naturalist volume Pesticides and Pollution. He is the Founder-Director of the Monks Wood Experimental Station, which was the main research station of the Nature Conservancy, Chairman of the Watch Trust, President of the Cambridgeshire branch of the Ramblers Association, and has for many years been closely involved in all aspects of farming and conservation.
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Mammals in the British Isles
Number 68 in Series
by L. Harrison Matthews
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Mammals in the British Isles looks at the influences on their numbers and distribution, both now and in the past, examines aspects of their biology with emphasis on function and physiology, and concludes with an account of relationships with man. This book by Dr Harrison Matthews will be warmly welcomed by all those for whom his British Mammals, in this series, was a standard work for nearly 30 years. In recent years our understanding of the British species has expanded greatly. This volume offers a synthesis of modern knowledge derived from living animals studied in the field and covering all facets of mammalian life in the British Isles. It will be as important to a new generation of naturalists as the previous book was to an older one. The book is full of fascinating detail - of the shrews which scream in defence of territory to avoid fighting; of young rats that play to learn while adult otters play for fun; of vole 'plague' populations which crash as a result of stress; of monogamy and parental care of the dog fox - but it also paints a broader picture of interdependence, conservation and the part played by man. As much a part of nature as any other member of the fauna, it is man who has created the character of the environment - by clearing, draining, building and developing agriculture - and made available the wide variety of habitats occupied by indigenous, introduced and feral populations. Dr Harrison Matthews gives a general account of British mammals and the things influencing their numbers and distribution both now and in the past, examines aspects of their biology with emphasis on function and physiology, and concludes with an account of relationships with man and the measures he has taken for their control and conservation.
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The Natural History of Orkney
Number 70 in Series
by R. J. Berry
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This is the first survey of the islands' natural history, complete in one volume. Because Orkney is exceptional, it is vital reading for the serious naturalist, as well as for being a comprehensive and absorbing guide for every visitor.
Orkney is a very special place for naturalists. Closer to Oslo than to London, its geography and climate create quite distinct environmental conditions - even though it is only six miles from the Scottish mainland.
On these islands of fierce gales, long summer days and long winter nights, the wildlife has adapted in intriguing ways... Starlings adapt to ground-nesting...local sheep eat seaweed...and there are voles exclusive to Orkney. Here is one of the very few areas where the rare and delicate Scottish Primrose thrives...where you find the British stronghold of the Hen Harrier, and vast colonies of seabirds and seals.
This is the first - and long-needed - survey of the islands' natural history, complete in one volume. Because Orkney is exceptional, it is vital reading for the serious naturalist, as well as for being a comprehensive and absorbing guide for every visitor.
In his tracing of the island's evolution from its geological creation to the effects of oil technology; in the detailed, yet fascinating exploration of the plants and animals (and where best to see them), Professor Berry's expertise and enthusiasm is backed by that of local specialists, and Orkney's long tradition of natural history study. Appendices include definitive lists of all the species of flora and fauna on record, and an extensive bibliography.
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The New Forest
Number 73 in Series
by Colin R. Tubbs
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How and why the New Forest has evolved to be an area of international importance - and Britain's richest 'nature reserve'. How and why the New Forest has evolved to be an area of international importance - and Britain's richest 'nature reserve'. This popular, accessible and beautiful stretch of Hampshire countryside has an appeal far beyond local interest, for it is unique on a world scale. The unparalleled diversity, extent and pattern of its habitats in their favoured climatic position, shelter an incredible variety of plant, insect and animal life. The ancient woodlands, heaths and mires are all rare and precious habitats. The pasture woodlands - with no counterpart anywhere else in Europe - are all we have left to show what Britain must have been like when the vast Atlantic forests covered the land thousands of years ago. And because of the protection afforded by its royal status, common rights, and the Forest Verderers, the New Forest is a recognizable piece of medieval England that has actually survived, more-or-less intact, for some 900 years. Colins Tubbs provides a detailed insight into how the New Forest landscape was formed and into its distinctive flora and fauna; he traces the fascinating parallel threads of natural and social history. For had it not been for the persistence of a certain style of country living over 100s of years, the royal status, the smallholders and their rights to graze stock, the deer and the famous, free-roaming ponies, the New Forest would not be here today. The New Forest follows in the distinguished New Naturalist series tradition of investigative natural history, drawing from the latest field studies and research, and is the most authoritative, up-to-date and in-depth survey available.
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Ferns
Number 74 in Series
by Christopher N. Page
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Ferns gives the reader an introduction to the reasons for the variety of ferns in the British Isles, as well as the history of their development within this landscape and their use by man. Ferns, horsetails and clubmosses, or to use their technical term the Pteridophyta, are a fascinating area of the British flora that ranged from the prehistoric-looking horsetails to the delicate beauty of the Aspleniaceae family (otherwise known as the spleenworts and familiar inhabitants of many a conservatory). Ferns are ubiquitous on this damp island, but often overlooked, overshadowed by the interest in the technicolour of our flowering plants. This book gives the reader an introduction to the reasons for the variety of ferns in the British Isles, as well as the history of their development within this landscape and their use by man. Taking each major habitat, Dr. Page details which species of ferns are most likely to be encountered and why. Using numerous examples, he also shows how some species have become highly adapted to their environment using a whole range of strategies varying from the ordinary to the bizarre. Ferns follows in the distinguished New Naturalist series tradition of investigative natural history, drawing from the latest field studies and research, and is the most authoritative, up-to-date and in-depth survey of this part of the British flora available.
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British Freshwater Fish
Number 75 in Series
by P. S. Maitland
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An in-depth look at the fish that inhabit the fresh waters of Britain and Ireland. These include famous members of the salmon family, such as the Atlantic Salmon and the Brown Trout, and the obscure whitefish, species of which are confined to just a few lakes. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Fish have been a highly sought after part of the British fauna since Dame Juliana Berners wrote the first fishing book in 1486, but have long been overlooked by naturalists as a part of the British countryside. In this new volume in the New Naturalist series, Dr. Peter Maitland and Niall Campbell, who have both spent a lifetime studying and catching fish, take an in-depth look at the fish that inhabit the fresh waters of Britain and Ireland. These include famous members of the salmon family, such as the Atlantic Salmon and the Brown Trout, and the obscure whitefish, species of which are confined to just a few lakes. The information that the authors uncover gives a comprehensive overview of the life cycle of fish, whether mundane spawning or the complex migrations of the Eel and Sea Trout, as well as details on diet, behavior and ecology. The book also contains the most up to date identification key to both the families and individual species of fish, allowing every species of freshwater fish to be conclusively identified. As well as detailed descriptions of each family, there are also seven chapters on more general subject. These include chapters on fish conservation and the future of the fish fauna in our country: a sign of the change in status of fish from the pursued to the studied.
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The Hebrides
Number 76 in Series
by J. M. Boyd
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A complete natural history of the Hebrides - an area of great natural beauty, which draws back thousands of visitors year after year to its wonderful scenery and abundant wildlife.
The Hebrides is an area of great natural beauty, which draws back thousands of visitors year after year to its wonderful scenery and abundant wildlife. Yet, until now, there has been no up-to-date, complete natural history for its many followers to refer to. This title fills the gap.
In a style at once both readable and informative the Drs. J. M. and I. L. Boyd cover every aspect of the islands. Starting with a clear explanation of the geology, climate and hydrography, they move on to a fascinating description of the many varies habitats, from the sea and inland waters through to woodlands and moor and hill. Part II deals with the characteristics of individual islands and their species, while in part III the islands are discussed in the context of their relation to people - starting with the old naturalists, and ending on a topical note with the current interest in conservation.
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The Soil
Number 77 in Series
by B. N. K. Davis
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The soil is one of the great unsung disappearing resources, with over 100m tonnes being destroyed every year. The soil is the work place of farmers and gardeners, but it is also a fascinating environment inhabited by insects that can leap into the air to a record height, multilegged scavengers that are vital to the decomposition of plant matter and the long, thin, entwining strands of thousands of species of fungi. Although soil plays a vital role in the functioning of the world, it has often been overlooked, mainly because it contains a huge range of different fields, all of which have become specialities in their own right. This book brings together specialists in these fields to give a broad overview of the staggering advances that have been made since Sir John Russel's The World Of Soil was published in this series in 1947. The first two chapters introduce the physical structure of the soil. The next four chapters deal with the specific animals and plants and how they exploit this environment. The final four chapters describe how these animals interact and how man has used and abused the soil in his striving to gain more and more from this resource.
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Caves and Cave Life
Number 79 in Series
by Philip Chapman
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Cave exploration has uncovered archaeological finds, which have enhanced our understanding of human evolution, and fossil remains, such as woolly mammoths, which reveal something of the Pleistocene animal world. But perhaps most fascinating of all is the living natural history of caves.
There are few unexplored places on earth, but caves still offer countless opportunities for discovery. From new passages to whole new cave systems, significant finds are still being made - recent exploration in South Wales revealed Britain's largest passageways.
Caves are formed over many thousands of years, as subterranean waters seep slowly through the crevices of the buckled and twisted layers of limestone rocks. These cracks develop into fantastically shaped passages which stretch for miles, huge caverns housing vast, still lakes and deep potholes through which icy waterfalls tumble. Within them form arrays of stalactites and stalagmites, delicately twirling helicities, slender pillars of calcite and crystal pools. And it is these wonders that have encourages the adventurers who have explored and charted this underground world - descending on ropes into gaping pits, crawling and digging their way along tunnels and diving through freezing torrents to do so.
Cave exploration has uncovered archaeological finds, which have enhanced our understanding of human evolution, and fossil remains, such as woolly mammoths, which reveal something of the Pleistocene animal world. But perhaps most fascinating of all is the living natural history of caves.
The study of cave biology is still in its infancy. Speculation and controversy abound, cavernicolous communities remain under-recorded and new species await discovery in most subterranean habitats. But in this book, Philip Chapman has drawn together his expert knowledge of caves and cave life to present an outstanding and cohesive account of what is now known in this extraordinary world, which for so many has remained unknown for so long.
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The New Naturalists
Number 82 in Series
by Peter Marren
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A history of the most successful, significant and long-running natural history series in the world.
A history of the most successful, significant and long-running natural history series in the world.
In 1995 Collins published the 82nd volume in the New Naturalist series to coincide with its 50th anniversary. Ten years on, Peter Marren has revised this fascinating account of the series. He covers the illustrious careers of its authors, how each title was conceived and received, and includes plates of the sketches and roughs of the jackets. It also gives behind-the-scenes details of the also-rans and the books-that-never-were.
This will appeal to the collector's market - it has a lengthy appendix dedicated to collecting the series with advice on how to spot a good edition, and a star rating according to scarcity - and will mark the 60th anniversary of the publication of the first new naturalist title.
Peter Marren is a trained ecologist who worked as a woodland scientist, conservation officer and author-editor with the Natural Conservancy Council between 1977 and 1992. He has written numerous book and articles and contributes regularly to British Wildlife.
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The Natural History of Pollination
Number 83 in Series
by Michael Proctor
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This is a brand new, fully updated edition of the natural history classic first published in the New Naturalist series in 1973 as The Pollination of Flowers. The importance of insects in pollinating flowers is today so well known it's easy to forget that it was discovered little more than two centuries ago: before that, it was believed that the concern of bees with flowers was simply a matter of collecting honey. But the methods by which pollen reaches the female flower, enabling fertilization and seed production to take place, include some of the most varied and fascinating mechanisms in the natural world. The Natural History of Pollination describes all the ways in which pollination is brought about: by wind, water, birds, bats and even mice and rats; but principals by a great diversity of insects in an amazing range of ways, some simple, some bizarre. This book is a unique introduction to a complex yet easily accessible subject of great fascination.
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Ireland
Number 84 in Series
by David Cabot
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Another volume in the popular New Naturalist series, this book covers all aspects of the natural history of Ireland, from biological history, geology and climate, through to nature conservation.
David Cabot, an expert in his field, provides a comprehensive view of all the different types of habitats to be found in Ireland, from the peatlands and fens, to the mountains and uplands; from broad-leaved woodland to coastal zones. The book examines the history and ecology of each of these habitats, and describes the rich variety of flora and fauna to be found living there.
In The Natural History of Ireland David Cabot also discusses the issue of nature conservation, addressing the history of the conservation movement in Ireland - its successes and failures - and the needs for the future.
A fascinating and highly detailed study, this book will complement other published works on the natural history of England, Wales and Scotland.
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Plant Disease
Number 85 in Series
by David Ingram
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Plant Disease covers all aspects of diseases of plants growing in the wild or likely to be encountered on cultivated plants in farm, forest and garden. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com This book covers all aspects of diseases of plants growing in the wild or likely to be encountered on cultivated plants in farm, forest and garden. Between 1845 and 1851 one and a half million Irish men, women and children died in misery from starvation and disease; the result of potato blight, a fungal disease that destroyed their potato crops. A million more people, driven to despair by the succession of appalling harvests, immigrated, mostly to America. So it was that a plant disease changed the course of history, its economic effects causing not only social but also major political upheaval. Many plant diseases have had surprisingly far-reaching social and economic effects, so the study of these diseases is of great interest and importance to scientists, horticulturists, agriculturalists and foresters. In Plant Disease: A Natural History, Ingram and Robertson Dr.aw on personal observations in the field and laboratory to discuss all types of diseases caused by fungi, from rots and mildews to rusts, smuts and tumors. The symptoms encountered in the wild are described, together with their causes. A final chapter discusses the diseases caused by viruses, bacteria and flowering plants.
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Lichens
Number 86 in Series
by Oliver Gilbert
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Lichens are fascinating and beautiful organisms able to colonize a vast range of habitats, including seemingly impossible places such as bare icy mountaintops and sun-scorched coastal rocks. This book discusses all aspects of British lichens, revealing the secrets of their success. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.com Lichens are fascinating and beautiful organisms able to colonize a vast range of habitats, including seemingly impossible places such as bare icy mountaintops and sun-scorched coastal rocks. This book discusses all aspects of British lichens, revealing the secrets of their success. The book begins by looking at how lichens have been used throughout history in medicines, dyes, food and perfumes. It then goes on to describe what lichens are, and how they grow and reproduce. A detailed survey is given of the range of habitats in which lichens can be found: on trees, rocks, heaths and moors, chalk and limestone, mountains, rivers, lakes, the coast, walls and buildings, most famously on churches and in churchyards. Gilbert also discusses the susceptibility of lichens to air pollution, and how they can be used to detect environmental pollution. The comprehensive, reader-friendly text, over 150 illustrations and 16 pages of color, combine to make Lichens the definitive work on this subject of great natural history interest.
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Amphibians and Reptiles
Number 87 in Series
by Trevor Beebee
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Building on the solid foundations established by the two earlier New Naturalist volumes on this subject, eminent herpetologists Trevor Beebee and Richard Griffiths have brought together a wealth of new and fascinating information on the British amphibians and reptiles. An introductory chapter looks at the subject of biogeography and how factors such as geological history, latitude and climate affect ecology, life histories and behaviour. The authors then go on to discuss historical interest in amphibians and reptiles, from how they have featured in witchcraft and legends to modern perspectives. A third chapter covers basic biology of amphibians and reptiles, before each of the main groups - newts, frogs and toads, lizards, snakes and chelonians - are examined in further detail. A comprehensive account for each species covers behaviour, life history, reproduction and distribution, as well as ecology and conservation status, areas in which significant discoveries have been made in recent years. There is also a chapter with important new information on the burgeoning number of introduced species in Britain, such as bullfrogs, alpine newts and wall lizards. During the last half century, amphibians and reptiles have been among the most serious casualties of the changing way of life in the British countryside. In recognition of the threats they continue to face, Beebee and Griffiths rightly dedicate a final, substantial chapter to the increasingly important issue of conservation and discuss the measures needed to be taken to ensure the future survival of the British herpetofauna. With over 100 black and white line drawings and illustrations, and an 8-page colour section, this is an authoritative work on a subject of great natural history interest.
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Loch Lomondside
Number 88 in Series
by John Mitchell
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Loch Lomondside is celebrated for its outstanding scenery. The area supports a rich tapestry of water and wild land, forest and woodland, farmland and settlement. Another volume in the popular New Naturalist series, this book is a comprehensive account of the history and natural history of this internationally famous area, which is soon to become one of the first National Parks in Scotland. For centuries, Loch Lomondside has been celebrated for its outstanding scenery. The area supports a rich tapestry of water and wild land, forest and woodland, farmland and settlement. It includes architectural and archaeological features of considerable importance, and has been celebrated by many great writers including Walter Scott, John Ruskin and William Wordsworth. Loch Lomondside is the most popular countryside destination in Scotland, attracting more than 2 million visitors each year. Over 70 percent of the population of Scotland are less than 1 hour's travelling time from the area. This book covers the history of the Loch and its people, forestry, agriculture and fisheries, the natural history, recreational activities, and conservation, past, present and future. It complements other regional volumes in the New Naturalist series which include the Hebrides, Orkney and the Shetland Islands.
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