Böcker i Animal-serien i ordning

A new cultural and natural history of the flashing, iridescent kingfisher.

A natural and cultural history of the 'perfect predator' - the leopard - and its depiction in literature, art, film, advertising and popular culture.

"A richly illustrated cultural and natural history of the lethargic animal from prehistoric ancestry to modern-day memes."--Publisher's description.

A richly illustrated celebration of the mysterious world of worms in science and culture. This book celebrates the mysterious world of worms from gardens to toothaches and beyond. Kevin Butt introduces all manner of worms, including many that bear only superficial resemblance to our limbless, sinuous friends in the dirt. To trace the intimate history between worms and people, he discusses worms that live in bodies, soil, and water as well as worms from literature and mythology. Throughout the ages, worms have been portrayed as benign, even beautiful, yet at other times spitefully ostracized as deadly creatures. This richly illustrated book looks at the microscopic and the very large indeed, asking what the future holds for both human- and worm-kind.

A melodious paean to the natural history and symbolic meaning of the most prized, poetized, and mythologized of songbirds. The nightingale has a unique place in cultural history: the most prized of songbirds, it has inspired more poems than any other creature, and it is also the most mythologized of birds. Nightingale juxtaposes the bird of poetry, music, myth, and lore with the living bird of wood and scrubland, unpicking the entangled relationship between them. Covering a huge range of poets, musicians, artists, nature writers, and natural historians--from Aristotle, Keats, and Vera Lynn to Bob Dylan--Nightingale charts our fascination through history with this nondescript yet melodious little brown bird. It also documents the nightingale's disappearance from British breeding grounds and the implications this has for nightingale conservation.

The natural and cultural history of an opportunistic omnivore, the raccoon.

A celebration of the ancient, unassuming yet exceptional turtle.

A vivid portrait of the formidable-looking yet sociable and intelligent crab.

A funny, bold and provocative enquiry into what it means to be human.

"e;Albatross looks at the place of these iconic birds in a wide variety of human cultures, from early responses by north Atlantic mariners to modern encounters, examining in detail the role the bird plays in the lives of different peoples and societies. The albatross's remarkable ease in the air and its huge wingspan strikes all those who observe them, and the huge journeys they undertake across the oceans inspires awe. The bird has been celebrated through proverbs, folk stories, art, and ceremony. For many, the bird's cultural significance is still determined by Coleridge's 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'. People have engaged with the bird over the last two centuries, from those who sought to exploit them to those who devoted their lives to them. Writers, artists and documentary makers have all focused on the albatross and its place in the human imagination has been demonstrated throughout history. The book concludes with a consideration of the bird's changing significance in the modern world, as well as threats to its continued existence and its prospects for the future."e;

Though people generally do not think of them in such terms, crows are remarkably graceful: from the tip of a crow's beak to the end of its tail is a single curve, which changes rhythmically as the crow turns its head or bends toward the ground. This book presents a survey of crows, ravens, magpies and their relatives in myth, literature and life.

Will be of interest not only to beekeepers and producers of honey, but also to a wide general audience who appreciate the symbolism, society and cultural meanings of this industrious creature.

An account of moles in nature, and cultures around the world.

An up-to-date guide to the biology and cultural history of the jellyfish.

An enlightening and entertaining guide to the natural and cultural history of the wasp.

A natural and cultural history of the majestic yet endangered polar bear.

The surprising and intriguing history of the much-loved goldfish.

Zebra is a comprehensive and wide-ranging study of the natural and cultural history of this popular animal.

A unique exploration of the biology and history of sheep, as well as their place in literature and the other creative arts.

Highly regarded woodpecker expert Gerard Gorman presents a unique natural, social and cultural history of woodpeckers.

Filled with beguiling images throughout, Lizard is a unique and sometimes surprising introduction to this popular but little-understood reptile. Boria Sax describes the diversity of lizard species and traces the representation of this reptile in cultures worldwide.

This is a natural and cultural history of the hippopotamus, the well-loved, cumbersome, rotund mammal famous for lounging around semi-submerged in muddy pools.

A natural and cultural history of that most potent of arthropod, the scorpion.

A cultural and natural history of the moth, which may seem drab compared to the butterfly, but which in fact has more species and brighter colouring than its day-flying cousin.

The first in-depth account of the storied history of guinea pig and human interaction, this book shows how guinea pigs have influenced humans since earliest times, including scientists such as William Harvey, and painters from Jan Brueghel to Beatrix Potter.

A new title by best-selling author, zoologist, and former television presenter Desmond Morris, Bison is a natural and cultural history of the bison, an iconic animal of the Great Plains of America.

Beaver explores the fascinating history of this small, often-overlooked, yet important animal and examines why the beaver has been hunted throughout the years, as well as looks at the unique way in which beavers form their societies.

A natural and cultural history of the hedgehog that explores the symbolism of the animal, from Romans who regarded it as a weather prophet to Sonic the Hedgehog and children's books today.

An animal worshipped, slaughtered, loved and loathed, the mouse is a beguiling part of our culture and environment. Mouse explores in rich detail the stories and history of this enchanting creature, with which we not only share our domestic and urban space, but 99 per cent of our genetic makeup.