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A very indepth technical book on dog develpment .
This is a very in-depth and technical book on the early social development of dogs and the effects of socialization and training. It is a very good book for anyone who is serious about breeding dogs. ... Read more

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An illuminating look at how to recognize and respect a horse’s true character, and the relationship that can develop from a common understanding. ... Read more

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The Alex Studies Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots Irene Maxine Pepperberg Can a parrot understand complex concepts and mean what it says? Since the early 1900s, most studies on animal-human communication have focused on great apes and a few cetacean species. Birds were rarely used in similar studies on the grounds that they were merely talented mimics--that they were, after all, "birdbrains." Experiments performed primarily on pigeons in Skinner boxes demonstrated capacities inferior to those of mammals; these results were thought to reflect the capacities of all birds, despite evidence suggesting that species such as jays, crows, and parrots might be capable of more impressive cognitive feats.Twenty years ago Irene Pepperberg set out to discover whether the results of the pigeon studies necessarily meant that other birds--particularly the large-brained, highly social parrots--were incapable of mastering complex cognitive concepts and the rudiments of referential speech. Her investigation and the bird at its center--a male Grey parrot named Alex--have since become almost as well known as their primate equivalents and no less a subject of fierce debate in the field of animal cognition. This book represents the long-awaited synthesis of the studies constituting one of the landmark experiments in modern comparative psychology. Irene Maxine Pepperberg is Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Associate Professor of Psychology, and Affiliate in the Program in Neuroscience at the University of Arizona. January 61/8 x 91/4 10 halftones, 11 line illus., 44 tables 448 pp. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A bit too technical for my tastes...
Yes, the intelligence and ability of parrots to communicate concepts IS interesting. But wow! This book has far too much technical detail to keep me turning pages. I bought the book to learn about how Alex was trained and how he progressed through the training. But the book goes into too much detail about Pepperberg's scientific and psychological study to keep me awake. Certainly not bedtime reading. I only wish she'd written the book I wanted to read.

No parrot jokes please
I can almost hear Irene Pepperberg saying that to us as she describes the significance of THE ALEX STUDIES. She herself offers a few humorous anecdotes about Alex, but for the most part there is definitely nothing funny about this book. It's written in a deliberately prosaic style for the following reasons. The very tendency for the media and general public to treat Alex as simply the "talking parrot", when in reality his vocalizations represent something much more important in terms of animal cognition and communication. Also stemming from the fact that her findings about bird cognition are so significant, Pepperberg in making her case to scientific colleagues, writes with them in mind. She is incredibly detailed in describing her experiments and the controls used. This is in order to avoid the possibility of cueing and thus comparisons to "clever Hans"; she wants to remove the possibility of persons saying the evidence is that most dreaded scientific epithet - merely "anecdotal". The book is replete with references and Pepperberg places them in the body of her text instead of as footnotes. The book is not a smooth read and only a scientist could describe it as "a delightful and easy read" as ethologist Marc Bekoff says on the cover. This is not a popular science book. But equally it takes an evoltionary biologist and ornithologist to see the "groundbreaking" significance of the book as Bernd Heinrich does.

Where does that leave us, the general reading public? If you take it in small pecks (couldn't resist one bird metaphor) you will be rewarded by some incredible insights into the cognitive powers of animals. We learn of abilities that scientists said perhaps (and that's a capital "P") resided only in Great Apes. Never was it imagined that birds possesed them. Pepperberg spends chapters discussing different capabilities such as numeric cognition, categorization, and word comprehension. Alex responded to Pepperberg's questions about "what color?" "what shape?" and "how many?" with appropriate answers. By far the most interesting responses were Alex's answers to conceptual problems. When asked "what's different" Alex showed he understood the concept of relativity by answering "larger".

The traditional view was that we know that animals are not sentient. Pepperberg's experiments show that what we "know" about animal cognition is not that much at all. How else can it be. Science has a history of a few hundred years and it was not that very long ago that we "knew" that the earth was flat or that it was at the center of the universe. Cognitive Ethology (the study of animal intelligence) is less than a generation old. Perhaps he's not the best source to quote since he's from a comedy, but that man in black, Tommie Lee Jones as "K" was absolutely right when he said "just imagine what we'll know tomorrow."

Long time bird owner
This is a very interesting read. It's a bit technical and outlines Dr. Pepperberg's research is great detail. However, anyone who has experience Alex on television will be facinated by his abilities.

Meticulous
One of the preconceived notions I had before reading this book was that the quality of research would be rather soft around the edges... Sort of "feel good pseudo-science"... I was pleasantly surprised when I learned how meticulous and critical Pepperberg had obviously been in the course of her research. By not being afraid to challenge the traditional beliefs of animal cognition as well as boldy examining the potential pitfalls of her own approach, Pepperberg has delivered a compelling and meticulous body of scientific research that stands on its own. Pseudo-science? Definitely not. Feel good? Well, since I'm a parrot "owner" as well as always being fascinated by the subject of cognition, this book was a great read for me. The one downfall to all of this is that I'm constantly annoying my wife by trying to get her to participate in model-rival training sessions with our own African Grey. The bird, however, indulges me... Im sure he considers my efforts quite amusing.

Two decades of research under one cover
Irene Pepperberg summarizes her twenty-something years of research with an African Grey named Alex. This is possibly the most poignant research on animal cognition that I've read. As a scientist, I can appreciate the hard work and dedication that went into this research; as a bird lover and companion to an african grey, I know what every bird lover/companion knows, that birds are intelligent and crafty. Dr. Pepperberg's research is among the first to truly reveal the intelligence of non-mammal species, hence it's monumental importance. Above that, it is easy to read, appreciate and understand. This book is destined to become a classic! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A stimulating insight in animal (and human) behaviour
A well balanced, unique mix of ethology and sociobiology, with strong emphasis on the biologic and evolutionary sides of behaviour. It is concise but is easy reading. A must have, for those seriously interested in the field. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is a nice book
This is just a nice book. It has some fascinating information about the structure, biology, and life history of spiders. It has some very nice pictures, especially of jumping spiders which the authors seem to have a special affinity for. It is NOT a field guide, and it's not meant to be, it's a very nice introduction to the fascinating world of the spider.

Spiders of the World
This book is geared to someone looking for information on the general habits of spiders.It has a great section on web building and habitats. This book does contains some pictures , but not for the purpose of classification of specific spiders. ... Read more

Book Description

Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson’s groundbreaking bestseller, When Elephants Weep, was the first book since Darwin’s time to explore emotions in the animal kingdom, particularly from animals in the wild. Now, he focuses exclusively on the contained world of the farm animal, revealing startling, irrefutable evidence that barnyard creatures have feelings too, even consciousness.

Weaving history, literature, anecdotes, scientific studies, and Masson’s own vivid experiences observing pigs, cows, sheep, goats, and chickens over the course of five years, this important book at last gives voice, meaning, and dignity to these gentle beasts that are bred to be milked, shorn, butchered, and eaten. Can we ever know what makes an animal happy? Many animal behaviorists say no. But Jeffrey Masson has a different view: An animal is happy if it can live according to its own nature. Farm animals suffer greatly in this regard. Chickens, for instance, like to perch in trees at night, to avoid predators and to nestle with friends. The obvious conclusion: They cannot be happy when confined twenty to a cage.

From field and barn, to pen and coop, Masson bears witness to the emotions and intelligence of these remarkable farm animals, each unique with distinct qualities. Curious, intelligent, self-reliant–many will find it hard to believe that these attributes describe a pig. In fact, there is much that humans share with pigs. They dream, know their names, and can see colors. Mother cows mourn the loss of their calves when their babies are taken away to slaughter. Given a choice between food that is nutritious or lacking in minerals, sheep will select the former, balancing their diet and correcting the deficiency. Goats display quite a sense of humor, dignity, and fearlessness (Indian goats have been known to kill leopards). Chickens are naturally sociable–they will gather around a human companion and stand there serenely preening themselves or sit quietly on the ground beside someone they trust.

For far too long farm animals have been denigrated and treated merely as creatures of instinct rather than as sentient beings. Shattering the abhorrent myth of the “dumb animal without feelings,” Jeffrey Masson has written a revolutionary book that is sure to stir human emotions far and wide. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

When Pigs Weep
Scholar and prolific author Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson burst on the scene as one of the foremost contemporary writers about animals with the publication of "When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals" in 1995. "Elephants" was groundbreaking, showing that non-humans of all shapes and sizes lead complex emotional lives. The book became a New York Times bestseller.

Masson has since published three books about cats or dogs. All were fine works and fun reads, yet, as each focused solely on one species, none captured Masson's affinity to bring the reader onto the printed page as did his first animal book. While his dog and cat books touched your heart, "Elephants" seeped into your soul.

With the publication of "The Pig Who Sang to the Moon: The Emotional Lives of Farm Animals," Masson makes a grand return to his previous lofty accomplishment. Like "Elephants," "Pig" focuses on beings in addition to the chosen one who gets a mention in the title. Sharing with the reader the emotional complexities of many animals is one of Masson's greatest strengths; certainly no writer today is his superior. When he writes, "Farm animals-perhaps because of the fate that invariably awaits them-seem able to feel something I cannot," it makes you wonder if he's being too modest, while questioning whether you, the reader, can feel what he, the author, does.

In "Pig," Masson covers all of the modern-day farmed animals, devoting chapters to pigs, chickens, sheep and goats, cows, and ducks and geese. His research is superb; whether you are a long-time ethical vegan or a committed carnivore you will discover something you did not know about each of these beings. Are you aware that a pig is easier to house train than a dog? Or that chickens always know exactly what time it is? That goats are funny, inventive, and love unconditionally? Masson uncovers these and many more gems, including the elderly New Zealand couple whose two ponds fill up with wild ducks "every year, the night before duck season starts."

Masson also expertly discusses his supposition of farmed animal emotions, foreshadowing the naysayers certain to question his premise. He writes that "not so very long ago, ... people intimately connected to the lives of animals did not care whether animals had feelings or not." He then quotes Frans de Wall, Ph.D., Professor of Primate Behavior from the Yerkes Primate Research Center, who wrote in a 1999 New York Times editorial, "I still remember some surrealistic debates among scientists in the 1970s that dismisses animal suffering as a bleeding-heart issue. Amid stern warnings against anthropomorphism, the then-prevailing view was that animals were robots, devoid of feeling, thoughts, or emotions." Masson concludes: "in the absence of communal signs, such as physical gestures or sounds, humans are simply not equipped to understand animal emotions. This does not mean they are not there."

"Pig" is a book that pulls no punches, yet is "mainstream" enough to reach a wide audience. Masson doesn't shy away from the real issues, stating, in the first chapter, "The position I take in this book is a radical one," and "I think it is wrong to raise animals for food." Later he states "All you need do to make [animal slaughter] unnecessary is to say once and mean it: these deaths are not necessary. I do not have to eat meat."

In his concluding chapter, "On Not Eating Friends," Masson proclaims, "I have to be honest: My research leaves me in no doubt whatsoever, that to prevent animals from suffering unbearable agony, we must become not only vegetarian, but vegan." These are powerful and refreshing words coming from an author whose book is certain to get wide coverage and exposure.

If you wish to give farmed animals the best Holiday season ever, purchase two copies of "The Pig Who Sang to the Moon"-the first for yourself; the other as a gift for one of the future vegetarians on your shopping list.

~ Joseph Connelly (editor@vegnews.com) is founding editor of VegNews (vegnews.com)

I will never look at a "farm" animal the same way again!
When I first saw the title of Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson's new book I thought it was the unique story of a talented little pig. I was mistaken. The book, however, is certainly unique! As I turned the pages the "emotional world of farm animals" indeed opened up to me in a different light. I have always believed that animals share the same emotions as we do. Some say that animals do not feel pain in the same way that we do. If this is true, then why do they scream when being injured or killed?

I became a vegan nearly 3 years ago. I could no longer live with my conscious that I was directly responsible for the suffering and murder of innocent animals. I have never regretted nor looked back. Non-vegetarians argue that they would not eat their dog or cat, nor would they want a pig or a chicken as a pet. This statement in my opinion is guilt (putting out of their minds that they are responsible for the killing and suffering of an animal), and ignorance (simply believing what most humans believe, in that animals were put on earth for us to exploit at all costs.) Masson's book gave me more food for thought still and solidified my belief's that cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks, etc are all unique in their own right, as are humans. He proves time and time again that these animals possess higher intelligence then we give them credit for and many even enjoy the company of humans, the very species that they should fear and distrust most. I simply will not look at another "farm" animal the same way again!

Earlier this week as I sat in the doctor's office, I was reading my copy of The Pig Who Sang to the Moon. A woman sitting across from me took out a piece of paper and a pen. I looked up and noticed her looking at my book and writing something on the paper.

She looked up and smiled and said, "oh don't mind me, I am just writing down the name of your book, it looks so interesting."

"Yes, it is a fascinating book, it just came out and I cannot put it down," I replied.

"Well I am interested because I am a farmer and we have a lot of animals on our farm: cows, pigs, chickens, etc, and I think it would be interesting to read. Are you a farmer?" she asked.

"No I am not a farmer, but if you are, then I highly recommend that you read this book." I smiled somewhat triumphantly.

A Life-Changing Book
I have been a vegetarian for 11 years, unwilling to eat anything that required "killing" an animal. After reading "The Pig Who Sang to the Moon", I cannot with a good conscience continue to eat the foods produced by animals/birds. The suffering they endure for my benefit cannot be justified. I am now beginning my path toward veganism and the small, but necessary, contribution I can make to alleviate the suffering of animals for the selfishness of man.

Spreading our Empathy
Masson is doing important work here. Those that accuse him of sentimentalism or anthropomorphism don't understand the project. All Masson is trying to do is generate a little consistancy between our feeling towards the animals in homes and the one on our plates. Perhaps some people will read this book and decide we should start eating dogs and cats. However, Masson rightly expects that most people would sooner pull all animals off the menu.

No substitue for science
This book substitutes anecdotes and conjecture for science. It is obvious that the author is more interested in spreading his biased point of view than he is in providing any subjective information. ... Read more

Book Description

The First Edition of Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates has been immensely popular with students and researchers interested in freshwater biology and ecology, limnology, environmental science, invertebrate zoology, and related fields. The First Edition has been widely used as a textbook and this Second Edition should continue to serve students in advanced classes. The Second Edition features expanded and updated chapters, especially with respect to the cited references and the classification of North American freshwater invertebrates. New chapters or substantially revised chapters include those on freshwater ecosystems, snails, aquatic spiders, aquatic insects, and crustaceans.

* Most up-to-date and informative text of its kind
* Written by experts in the ecology of various invertebrate groups, coverage emphasizes ecological information within a current taxonomic framework
* Each chapter contains both morphological and taxonomic information, including keys to North American taxa (usually to the generic level) as well as bibliographic information and a list of further readings
* The text is geared toward researchers and advanced undergraduate and graduate students ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Good bench reference for non-insects
The other reviewers' descriptions are correct: this is a valuable reference. I would like to like to clarify this a little however. The text is an important tool for taxonomists and ecologists working with aquatic macroinvertebrates. However, its emphasis is clearly on non-insects. If you need to identify insects-the most abundant aquatic macroinvertebrates, you should use Merritt and Cummins (1996) text: An introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America. If you will be identifying samples for stream bioassessments you will need both of these books-and probably some others-as bench references.

To use these references to identify organisms, you will need access to a laboratory because you will need glassware, forceps, microscopes and other tools and chemicals. Sometimes a dissecting scope is required. Sometimes you will need to mount parts of organisms on microscope slides to view them on a compound scope at high magnification. If you represent a volunteer group and don't have access to (or experience with) this type of equipment, this book may not be for you. You might be better off with Resse Voshell's book: A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America. His text generally has family-level taxonomy based on characteristics observable in the field. Both books contain interesting ecological information in addition to taxonomic identification.

So yes, this book clearly deserves two "Thumbs Up" but you should consider your experience level, taxonomic need, and how you will use this book before you purchase it. I hope this helps you decide if the book is right for you. Feel free to email me with questions if necessary (brett@thebugguy.org). Best regards.

A Major Source of Aquatic Invertebrate Information
The second edition of "Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates" has provided aquatic biologists with a powerful tool. The study of freshwater organisms has gained in importance as we see our precious water resources become more scarce and polluted. As water flows downhill it takes with it every chemical and waste product we deposit on the surface. Fresh water (and marine) organisms are a first line of defense alerting us to the destruction. The presence or absence of many of these organisms is often significant in regard to water quality and environmental health.

In addition, there is increased interest in our freshwater systems and their biota, both among professionals and knowledgeable amateurs. The lack of funding and specialists in certain areas for the needed research in aquatic systems may make the role of the latter more important with time, as has already occurred in astronomy and to a lesser degree in other areas of study.

This book is a good summery of aquatic organisms from Protozoa to Arthropoda. Despite a few irritating typos, it compares well with earlier editions of Pennak's "Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States" in coverage (the 4th edition of Pennak drops both the protoctists and the insects, while retaining the non-insect arthropods and including some color illustrations). If one can afford them they are both worth having, but for reasonably up-to-date overall coverage and inclusiveness and at a cheaper price, Thorp and Covich (eds.) book is a good reference for all Canadian and U. S. freshwater invertebrates in the very broad sense.

Excellent support for benthic macroinvertebrate surveys
A retired chemist, I have been using Thorp and Covich in connection with benthic macroinvertebrate surveys related to stream water quality work. The drawings are extremely clear, and the keys are excellent. As an amateur, I particularly appreciate the book's comprehensive glossary. If you find that Voshell's fine but brief Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America does not provide you with the level of detail you need, you'll almost certainly find Thorp and Covich very useful. A minor flaw--the page(s) listed in the index for an item are often three pages earlier than the page(s) in the book at which the item actually occurs.

Excellent macroinvertebrate reference book
I found this book to be an excellent reference source for me as a field biologist. The chapters contain background information for each family along with drawings and a chapter outline. I can compare the specimens I've collected to the drawings and descriptions in the book with confidence. A very useful reference for the field biologist. ... Read more

Book Description

IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE parasites control the minds of their hosts, sending them to their destruction.

IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE parasites are masters of chemical warfare and camouflage, able to cloak themselves with their hosts' own molecules.

IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE parasites steer the course of evolution, where the majority of species are parasites.

WELCOME TO EARTH.

For centuries, parasites have lived in nightmares, horror stories, and in the darkest shadows of science. Yet these creatures are among the world's most successful and sophisticated organisms. In Parasite Rex, Carl Zimmer deftly balances the scientific and the disgusting as he takes readers on a fantastic voyage. Traveling from the steamy jungles of Costa Rica to the fetid parasite haven of southern Sudan, Zimmer graphically brings to life how parasites can change DNA, rewire the brain, make men more distrustful and women more outgoing, and turn hosts into the living dead.

This thorough, gracefully written book brings parasites out into the open and uncovers what they can teach us about the most fundamental survival tactics in the universe. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

nothing less than classic!!!!
Gripping,fascinating,mind-boggling,frightening and the adjectives can go on till infinity.One thing's for sure,this is probably the best book i've ever read in any category.Parasite Rex has made me stop and seriously consider my role and relative importance on this planet.Parasites are definitely creatures of intelligence and savvy even by some humans'standards.The way Mr.Zimmer expounds such a subject with such ease is a major credit to his communication skills.His analogies are so on point that you can easily see yourself inside an organism and watching the action unfold like a ringside seat at a big match.If all writers could simplify very technical material like Zimmer has,who knows some of us lay people could become scholars without having to go to college.For those who scoff at the thought that creatures so tiny can determinedly invade,alter,control and manipulate from organisms to entire eco-systems i dare you to pick up a copy of'PR'and be prepared to reshape your whole outlook on life.I give'Parasite Rex'five stars only because i can't give it more.Thank you so much Mr.Zimmer!!!!

This book will alter how you look at the world
This is one of those rare books that can totally alter how you look at the world. Read it and you begin seeing parasites in every skin blemish you have. See a cat catch a mouse and all you can do is think about all the parasites its about the ingest. You find youself wanting to visit the parasite museum in Maryland to see all the horrible creatures you've been reading about. You begin thinking that Zimmer's right and that parasites have driven the evolution of the world. You begin wodering if Stephen King has read it and if so what novel he's writing. You begin wondering if there's thousands of little cysts in your brain and that your life goal of going on safari in Africa may need revaluated. You imagine what its like to extract a guinea worm from your leg. You question whether or not you will ever eat crab again. You wonder whether the reason you've been so hungry of late is because there's a sixty foot long tapeworm inside your intestines. It's a stunning book and an important one. Zimmer found something obvious that's been overlooked in biology and if he's right will change the way we view life. Survival of the individual will be changed to survival of the creature living inside the indiviual. For example, there is a parasite that gets inside a snail, takes it over, forces it climb a blade of grass and wait for a grazing cow to wander by and eat it. The cow is where the parasite wants to end up. The snail is just a vessel to reach the cow. The young of the parasite end up in cow pies which the snail eats and the cycle begins again. The complex world of flukes and tapeworms, of enslaved crabs and suicidal snails, of sleeping sickness and malaria, is like a car wreck: you want to turn away but you can't, you're compelled to look fearful of what you might see. As you explore the book you learn that these creatures are much more than revolting. I can't say you'll ever view them with sympathy, you can view them with respect -- and hopefully at a safe distance.

Zimmer's book is fascinating
Flukes that can cleverly induce their snail and piscine hosts right into a hungry bird's beak; wasps that lay their eggs inside caterpillars and spiders, forcing these unfortunate hosts to nurture the wasp larvae after they hatch; and yes, tiny parasites that can manipulate and outwit human immune and nervous systems -- all to continue the parasite's life cycle ... at our expense.
Zimmer intensified my interest in parasitology when I read his Discover magazine article "Do Parasites Rule the World?" This led me to his "Parasite Rex" which more comprehensively explores the dominating role that parasites play in global ecosystems.
Organisms that biologists had long regarded as nothing more than a freeloading nuisance have since been found to control not only their hosts' behavior but to shape the evolution of organisms as complex as human beings. Zimmer provides a generous supply of well-researched examples and anecdotes on the various types of parasites and their behavior as well as the different and ingenious ways parasites can overcome their hosts' defenses.
And once this reality threshold has been established, Zimmer examines others' treatment of parasites in the works of science fiction, some eerily lifelike, others laughable, but each in its own right fascinatingly familiar for those courageous enough to have taken interest in the biology of these highly underrated, often-scorned creatures.

Informative, Clear, insightful- biological paradigm shift...
... but written for the average joe or josephine!!!

This isn't just a book about parasites- it's an introduction to a new way of perceiving the world around us, re-evaluating our place in a biological, ecological and evolutionary context... Zimmer writes with clarity and interest about the wonders of parasitic organisms- how they are a driving force in evolution, how they penetrate and manipulate their hosts, how they are not (as was thought previously) the dregs of the evolutionary process- if anything they are the engines of life. He also discusses how hosts can change against their parasites... And how parasites can change over time- for example, the mitochondria that power our cells are very similar to one of the more lethal diseases known to man, in fact, both probably evolved from the same ancestor!!!!!!!!

Furthermore- mammalian fetuses could be classified, possibly as parasitic organisms- they rewire the mother's blood-sugar levels and secrete chemicals that leach away the various chemicals that the fetus demands to grow... the mother tries to combat this process as an unchecked fetus could drain her and take away her capacity to make more children. But the fetus has inherited a number of enzymes from the father that attempt to latch on and break the mother's control over her own body. These and myriad other insights into biology are woven together wonderfully. I couldn't put this book down!

Zimmer travels the globe and his anecdotes concerning the various parasitologists are almost as much fun to read as the protracted discussions of the parasites. It is a budding field in biology and full of colorful characters. He also writes about parasites in films and pop culture, such as the Alien series... I couldn't imagine anyone else making a species like 'Sacculinae' (I know I miss-spelled that) come alive (they infest crabs, basically turning the crabs into castrated barnacle spawners). Zimmer does.

At times it's a horrifying read: Nature doesn't love you, but she sure coddles toxoplasma and legions of other parasitic species, whose ranks are spread across every animal kingdom. Guinea worms, Sleeping sickness, Fleischmania (eats away the flesh of your face), the Candiru, the botfly- if you have a penchant for the macabre and disgusting you will not be let down. But this book isn't just to disgust and delight readers... It's illuminating and clear- approachable in a way that very few scientific-works-for-laypeople are. I can't wait to get my hands on other books by Mr. Zimmer. If Parasite Rex is any indication...

5 enthusiastic stars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Extraordinary
When I saw this book on the shelves I thought I was prepared for it. I thought it would present the world of parasites with interesting descriptions, some scientific information and a touch of gruesome or creepy, and that that would be it.
How wrong I was.
This book gives much, much more than that.
In fact, this book can be read at different levels.
At the first level, one will find the descriptions I mentioned and will be entertained by reading of the unusual animals, their parasitic infestations, or the information about parasites that we (almost all of us) carry in our bodies.
But there is a deeper reading level: the book will destroy your vision of biology and ecology to build a new one. It will have you looking at the world, the environment, your own body under a new light. You will start to re-consider your concept of superior organism and intelligence. You will have doubts about who is actually superior to who in ecology. You will have to think of the human race as something less efficient and superior as you are used to think.
The book is easy to read, even for those who do not have good biology basis, yet it is not boring for more scientifically advanced readers.
I strongly recommend this book to readers of any ages. It is instructive, entertaining, stimulating. A masterpiece. ... Read more

Book Description

A debut essay collection by one of the best new nature writers

"It"s been a while since I stopped being surprised by nature in New York City, which is, after all, simply a name we"ve given this landscape—a label meaningless to the birds, the turtles, the river."

As a child in suburban Maryland, Lisa Couturier spent all her time outdoors, playing with snakes and toads and exploring every inch of what nature offered. Her parents were convinced that she would head out West as an adult, in search of wild lands and animals. Instead, Couturier moved to New York City, and it was there that she began to see nature and all the creatures in it with new eyes.

In The Hopes of Snakes, Couturier brings together the best of her essays on urban and suburban nature throughout the Northeast, from Washington, D.C., to Boston. She writes of the things in nature that we typically love, like the power and beauty of the Potomac River or the majesty of a peregrine falcon soaring above a skyscraper, but she also celebrates the animals we either ignore or consider pests, such as geese, snakes, and crows. Nature is often invisible to people amidst the concrete and glass of dense urban life. But Couturier"s sharp eye and deep humanity have found what is so remarkable in city nature and illuminated it for readers like no one before her.

The Hopes of Snakes is an eloquent and powerful debut by one of the best writers exploring nature in the humanized landscape today.

"Lisa Couturier's essays shine with her candor, her perception, and her affection for the creatures of our world, especially with their difficult encounters on our endless roads and in our inhospitable towns and cities. Whether the subject is a snake or a falcon or a crow named Edgar, these essays will both enlighten and give much reading pleasure."
—Mary Oliver

"Lisa Courturier has crafted a collection of essays that is, quite simply, stunning. The Hopes of Snakes takes readers into the lives and hearts of city creatures---those animals who persist in spite of us, and who call us back to our wild souls again and again from the dustiest of ledges, the dirtiest of cracks, the murkiest of city waterways. With respect and deep sensitivity, Courturier has crafted out of her life stories a guidebook back to those relational roots that sustain us through the most paved-over aspects of human life. I loved this book---loved getting to know each pigeon, each turtle, each falcon along with a colorful human cast of characters wise enough to treat these creatures as relatives. This book is a keeper, a teacher."
—Susan Chernak McElroy, author of Animals as Teachers and Healers

"The Hopes of Snakes is a book full of rapture, mystery and surprise. I LOVE this book. Snakes DO have hopes, Lisa Couturier tells us, and that's just the first of her revelatory observations, many of which will take your breath away as surely as the glimpse of an owl in the city, or the voice of coyote in the backyard. Let this lyrical, extraordinary book lure you into the urban thickets and vales of foxes, vultures, coyotes, serpents and geese--and inspire you to recapture the wild heart that keeps us truly alive."
—Sy Montgomery, author of Search for the Golden Moon Bear

"In this brilliant new book, Lisa Couturier offers readers a resonant and uplifting meditation upon the natural landscape. The author and her publisher are to be congratulated for producing a book that belongs in any library, public or private, that aspires to be complete on the subject of nature writing. In her mastery of the essay as an expressive form, and in the power and sincerity of her thinking, Lisa Couturier has established herself as the literary equal of such contemporary luminaries as Linda Hogan, Diane Ackerman and Barbara Kingsolver."
—John A. Murray, editor of the American Nature Writing series ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Living with our fellow creatures
Lisa writes about her experiences with wildlife that occupy cities and suburbia and how they interact with humans. As Lisa writes, some animals fare very well while others do not.

Lisa's ability to capture small details about the cirtters with whom she interacts make her essays all the more endearing and important. Although accused of anthropomorphising about the surivivors of the Human onslaught, her descriptions present an important understanding of urban wildlife and enable many otherwise unknowing citydwellers the opportunity to engage with nature's cast outs.

As Julie Warner said in Doc Hollywood: "Most people are merely on the Earth, not a part of it." Lisa Couturier gives us the opportunity to experience first hand those rare species that share their world with the Human invaders.

Have You Ever Read a Book You Wished Would Never End?
The Hopes of Snakes is just such a book. From Manhattan to Washington, DC, Lisa Couturier takes her readers on an amazing journey by introducing us to things we may have taken for granted or may never have thought twice (or even once) about. As I have been reading the essays, my family and friends have had to endure my reading passages or quoting from the text, but none acted as though it were much of a struggle because the prose so ably draws one in.

Ms. Couturier not only writes with the beauty of a poet, she teaches along the way so that the reader comes away feeling thoughtful and enriched. I knew nothing about crows other than myths, but now, because I have read A Banishment of Crows, I look for them in the sky, count their numbers, am awed by and respect them.

In her essay, The Hopes of Snakes, she becomes the readers' hero because she does what we wish we could do in similar circumstances.

The essays reflect humor and sorrow and never shy away from the unpleasant. By the end, the reader closes the book, feeling fulfilled by the journey, and yet compelled to assert onself more fully in the environment so that not a moment is lost and the connection will remain.

I have hopes that this will be the first of many books by Lisa Couturier.

MORE THAN NATURE: A GREAT AND TIMELESS READ
"THE HOPES OF SNAKES" is a great and timeless read.These essays may remind one of Edward Albee's tension provoking plays and of David Sedaris's dark humor.The essay 'Take the Long Way Home' can sit right next to that provocative genre of southern writers--right next to Faulkner's "AS I LAY DYING" or maybe "LIGHT IN AUGUST."You can roll Couturier's words and descriptive phrases over your tongue like a sweet mint julep.These essays tangle and weave classic coming-of-age tales through muddy swamps, over rocky shores, and into dark and scary woods to bring us to the point where an enlightened woman with an inclination for the wild can thrive in Manhattan and then return to Washington, DC, to enjoy the roots of an ancestral home and the blessings of motherhood. Couturier trades primeval forests for concrete canyons, but the message is an ancient and ongoing one.Anyone can read this book, but it will take a thoughtful reader to grasp and appreciate Couturier's depth.Don't pigeonhole this group of essays into a nice, neat urban nature read.It is so much more.The writing is likely to spring at you and bite you like a coiled and sleeping snake that's been poked and provoked. ... Read more

Book Description

Including valuable advice for those planning a field study, this practical manual for students and researchers studying wild primates provides essential information concerning the technical and practical aspects of field and laboratory methods.The study covers surveys and habituation, remote sensing and GPS, tracking and trapping, non-invasive genetic and endocrine assays, and ethical issues. It will be appropriate for final year undergraduates, postgraduate students and researchers in primatology, behavioral ecology and zoology. ... Read more

Book Description

This long-awaited revision promises to maintain the best features of the "classic" zoology text, while adding eight new expert contributors and a wealth of new technology offerings! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent zoology textbook
My background is in geology, but recently I've found my interest in zoology growing. This textbook was exactly what I was looking for--and more. My formal education in biology is quite meager, but Parts I and II of this book provided me with all the background (with good depth) I needed in order to understand the remaining three parts.

The writing was among the best I've ever read in a textbook: very clear and easy to read. The illustrations and photos are wonderful (and all but a few are in color). The authors and editors surely put in a great deal of effort to make this book easy to learn from and use... and they succeeded. I never thought I'd enjoy reading a textbook so much!

This book is a classic
Hard to improve on the previous editions, however, I like the tremendous online support that accompanies this newest edition. As always the text is consistantly readable, and the authors do a good job of dealing with the broad scope of the subject.

The best you can get!
The Integrated Principles of Zoology is the most thorough of the three in the Hickman/Zoology series. For a collegiate zoology/animal biology course, you can't find anything better. The 5th edition was the college/university standard back in 1975 when I took Zoology, and in the 11th edition is still the standard now when I teach Zoology. The text has been significantly revised since the 10th edition, with a terrific art program.

Four Star Book
This book told me everything I needed to know about zoology. It had a glossary in the back for words I didn't recognize and it was very informative. It is made like a text book for high school or college students. ... Read more

Book Description

Demonstrates that the earliest humans evolved not as hunters but as prey species, based on evidence from fossil and living primates

Although "Man the Hunter" is a popular description of our ancestry, the central importance of hunting is firmly fixed only in the archeological record of relatively recent human history. Man the Hunted argues that primates, including the earliest members of the human family, have evolved not as hunters but as the prey of any number of predators, including wild cats and dogs, hyenas, snakes, crocodiles, and even birds of prey. Eyewitness accounts, data collected by the authors, and the published reports of naturalists establish the astonishing extent to which living monkeys, lemurs, apes, and even humans fall victim to a wide variety of predators, some of which even specialize in the consumption of primates. Additionally, the fossil record demonstrates that primates have been prey for millions of years, a fact that necessarily shaped the evolution of our earliest ancestors in body and behavior. Skillfully combining information from a number of lines of evidence, Man the Hunted casts an entirely new light on the natural history of primates and the evolution of fossil and modern humans. ... Read more

Book Description

Invertebrates, Second Edition presents a modern survey of the 34 animal phyla (plus the Protista) and serves as both a college course text and a reference on invertebrate biology. Thorough and up-to-date, it is organized around the themes of bauplans (body plans) and evolution (phylogenetics). Each phylum is organized in a standardized fashion, treating the systematics, bauplan (support and movement, feeding and digestion, circulation and gas exchange, excretion and osmoregulation, nervous system, reproduction and development), and phylogeny. Detailed classifications, phylogenetic trees, and references for all phyla are provided. Tables summarize each phylum's defining attributes. The text is accompanied by an abundance of detailed line drawings and—new to this edition—color photographs.

Other key changes from the First Edition (1990) include:

* the incorporation of new developments in phylogenetics, developmental biology, and molecular genetics
* major changes at the highest levels among the invertebrates. Three phyla that appeared in the original book—Pentastomida, Pogonophora, and Vestimentifera—no longer exist, and a new phylum, Cycliophora, has been erected. Moreover, this edition discusses recent work in molecular systematics that has shaken classic views on animal classification.
* a large new section on "Kingdom Protista" (replacing "Protozoa") containing new contemporary views of these organisms (arranged in 18 phyla). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great Book
This is a really good book to have on your shelf. I will not be selling this textbook back!

To be permanently on desk
This is a very well organized, beautifully illustrated, comprehensive review of the invertebrates. I wish I had it when I studied biology, but I'm glad I can have it now on my shelf.

Well, It has a nice picture on the cover.
This invertebrate text is a mixed bag. Although the date on the Author's Preface is 2002, very few references more recent than 1997 are cited. The treatment is also very uneven. As expected given the authors' interests, the Arthropod treatment is done pretty well, but pretty much all the other major phyla are poorly treated. For example, reading the mollusk section is like entering a time warp; the gastropod systematic treatment is straight out of 1970s and the minor classes are perhaps worse. Within the molluscan overall framework, seminal works such as the Ponder and Lindberg treatment of gastropods are ignored, and the minor molluscan groups far no better; nothing more recent than references in the 1970s have obviously been consulted for the Scaphopods and although more recent references are listed for the Aplacophora and other minor classes the treatment is equally weak.

Similar problems are apparent within other major taxa as well.

Although the authors have tried to include some modern phylogentic analyses, the more recent data (from say, 1998 through at least 2000) that should have been included are totally absent.

Compared to the first edition, the text has many new illustrations; in fact, that seems to be the major positive addition over the earlier addition.

The book seems to have relatively few typographical errors.

Invertebrates - the definitive reference but without molecul
This large, comprehensive book is actually very suitable for the general reader. Concepts are explained well. Excellent line drawings accompany the text. The book starts off with general concepts, then covers the protozoa and then the placazoa (Trichoplax). It is suggested, as others have also speculated, that Trichoplax perhaps represents a surviving descendant of a premetazoan ancestor. The book then goes on to cover the sponges, cnidaria, ctenophora, platyhelminthes, pseudocolelomates, numerous chapters on worms, arthropoda, mollusca, etc, and finishes off with the invertebrate deuterostomes (including echinodermata, hemichordata and chordata). This book lacks recent molecular results, but nonetheless remains an excellent reference on the invertebrates.

Excellent text on the invertebrates
Brusca and Brusca's book, INVERTEBRATES, presents a wonderful treatment of this extremely diverse group of animals. The continuous themes of body plan, development, and evolutionary relationships provide a continuous focus for the book.

There is ample material in this book for any most groups of invertebrates. This book would work well for an undergraduate or a graduate level course. The line drawings and BW photos are great. The text is well written, and comprehensive taxonomic information is included.

I hope Brusca and Brusca come out with a 2nd edition, since this book was published ten years ago. If they do, it will be a top candidate for my invert zool course in the future.

5 stars. ... Read more

Book Description

Combining excellent science with accessible style, the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals is an indispensable resource on the fascinating warm-blooded creatures of the sea. The contributions of more than 200 leading international authorities have made this single volume the guide for studyig the entire range of marine mammals.

Organized alphabetically, more the 280 articles are devoted to wide range of topics -- from the specific behavior and physiology of cetaceans and pinnipeds, to ecology, population biology, human effects and interaction, and research methodology.

Up-to-date, accessible, and scientifically sound, the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals will occupy a central place in any marine science library.

KEY FEATURES
*Complete Species List, featuring both living and extinct mammals;
*Comprehensive Glossary with definitions for more than 1,000 specialized terms;
*Extensive cross-referencing between articles;
*Abundant visual resources -- photographs, line drawings, maps, tables, and figures

KEY FEATURES
*Complete Species List, featuring both living and extinct mammals
*Comprehensive Glossary with definitions for more than 1,000 specialized terms
*Extensive cross-referencing between articles
*Abundant visual resources -- photographs, line drawings, maps, tables, and figures ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must have for every student of marine mammalogy!
This book is easy to use and provides comprehensive information for such a variety of topics that every student of marine mammals should have it in their library. I recommend it to students who are just starting their journey into marine mammal studies! ... Read more

Book Description

"A remarkable accomplishment. . . . [This volume] has been and will continue to be a major force advancing freshwater fish parasitology."--Ernest H. Williams Jr., from the Foreword

This thoroughly revised and updated edition of a classic reference work is the definitive guide to the identification of the parasites of freshwater fishes of North America.

The book provides information on public health concerns about fish parasites, the methods used to examine fish for parasites, and those parasites found only in very selective organs or tissues. It lists the known species of each genus, along with reference citations that enable readers to find literature pertinent to species identification, life cycles, and in some cases, control. In the heart of the book, each chapter opens with a description of a phylum and its relevant families and genera, followed by a species list for those genera. Drawings illustrate a representative of each genus, and are supplemented by photographic examples.

Many new parasites of North American freshwater fishes have been discovered since the publication of the first edition thirty years ago. For this new edition, the author has added new species accounts and revised the taxonomy, expanded descriptions and discussion of the most important fish parasites, provided a glossary to aid nonspecialists, and updated the reference list through 1992. The volume features twice as many illustrations as the first edition, including the addition of 33 color photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

Essays and illustrations from the award-winning column, “Heart’s Ease.”

Since the very first issue of Country Living Gardener, writer, artist, and naturalist Sharon Lovejoy has produced the award-winning “Heart’s Ease” column for the magazine. Through this collection of delightful essays and beautiful illustrations, she shares with her readers the boundless joys of a country garden. Lovejoy has chosen to focus on animal life in the garden, including hummingbirds, caterpillars, and dragonflies, but her informative and witty prose also covers traditional plant care. The very titles of her sketches convey pleasure in the vibrant country landscape and the life that teems within it: “The Bumble Bee Rumba,” “Faeries in the Fuschias (sphinx moths),” “Holiday Feasts for the Birds and the Beasts,” and “Conversations with Sunflowers.” This compilation truly is—to borrow another of her titles—“Something to Crow About.”

• Advertising in Country Living Gardener
... Read more

Reviews (5)

On Growth and Form
On Growth and Form written by D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson is a classic and should be found on the bookshelf of any well read person.

This book sets our mind up for an education in physics, chemistry, mathematics, and physiology with form and function. Language skills are needed for reading this book as the author uses the original Greek in places for explaination and emphsis. Aristotle comes to mind and German is used for emphsis.

If you want to get the full extent of the text and you are not up to speed on the subjects mentioned or you'll find it hard to read this book. This could be read by a junior or senior in high school. But, I think it would be more appropriate for college.

This book is the study of organic form using methods found in the physical sciences. This book is a challenge to read, but it is very logical and straight forward.

A misunderstood classic
A great book, to be read by all biophysicists-to-be.

The modern follow-up to this book is Thom's Structural Stability, which shows that the logical conclusion of Thompson's ideas is both exciting and dubious. We probably can't just 'look' at stuff, we need to make (useful) predictions or the theory won't last. The interested reader should also pick up, if briefly, Mandelbrot's Fractal Geometry of Nature.

Two notes of interest. 1) Morphology has indeed proven successful in proving physical theory: in the aggregation of dust particals, measuring the gross fractal dimension allows you to predict the type of noise involved in creating it. 2) The logarithmic spiral, together with the fibonnaci sequence and the golden ratio, show up quite surprisingly in synchronized chaotic loops.

a quantitatiave approach to biology
This book is a classic, no two ways about it. It is really the first credible attempt to start taking a quantitative approach to biology, and despite the developments of the past century (molecular biology, etc), the problems raised in this book are just as pressing as they were when thompson wrote it. Anyone working in cell biology nowadays will immediately see applications of the ideas in this book, for example to organelle morphogenesis. The genius and erudition of thompson shine through on every page, making the book inspiring to read.

simply a marvellous exposition of ideas
I heard about this marvellous book as I was reading in the typical popular science literature years ago now but its almost impossible to avoid contact with this tome of the archetypal polymath D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson. A remarkable man with a wonderful open view of science and the, what's now called, interdisciplinarian approach to the world. Refreshingly full of new ideas especially for his day and even now where conservatism as usual is the norm in scientific circles. I hope many scientists read this book and see not just a curiosity but a representation of a whole approach to the world of nature. I will never forget the first time I read the chapter on coordinate transformations in animal shapes, today's schools simply do not inspire in this way and its time this changed. The prescence of this book, well read, on any person's bookshelf is a must.

Illuminates the essence of understanding - Classic Overview
It's about so much more than the limits our minds create from standard reviews & categorizations. Shows how to organize your thinking to tackle something new. On the surface, it's a turn of the century survey & application of physical scientific knowledge. On a higher level it communicates how to effectively organize knowledge as a tool & pathway to inner understanding as only the CLASSICS can do. I was required to read it for my Brandeis Ph.D. in Biophysics, but have recommended it to home schoolers as the best single book to inform a teenager about physics, chemistry, biology, & practical thinking. The Latin roots of the title words, Form & Function, are utilized, rather than specialized contemporary jargon. ... Read more

Book Description

At first sight just a small brown bird, the dunnock's unobtrusive appearance belies its extraordinary behavior and mating patterns. This book gives a full account of the mating systems of the dunnock or hedge sparrow, Prunella modularis, which include pairs, a male with two females, two males with one female, and several males with several females. Detailed observations, elegant field experiments, and DNA fingerprinting are combined to show how this variable social organization arises from selfish individuals competing to maximize their own reproductive success.Further experiments reveal how the cuckoo may thwart the dunnock's parental efforts.David Quinn's exquisite drawings provide a visual summary of the bird's behavior.All students of ecology, evolution, and animal behavior will want to be familiar with this work, which addresses the wider issues of the influence of ecology on mating systems and the evolutionary significance of conflict within and between species. This is the third volume in the Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution, and the first in this series to address behavioral ecology. ... Read more

Book Description

The current literature on resource selection by animals is a maze of methodologies for data collection and interpretation. Field biologists need a guide through the labyrinth. This book provides such a guide. It gives a clear and consistent framework for the study of how animals select their resources (food and habitat) by taking the reader through different types of study design. It is an invaluable handbook for the field biologist, especially those concerned with the management and conservation of wildlife. The authors have clearly identified the need to pull together the diffuse literature, and biologists will greatly improve their experimental design, methodology, and analysis with this book. The second edition of this popular book has been updated to include many developments in the last few years. There is new material on discrete choice models, the analysis of data from geographical information systems, compositional analysis, Mahalanobis distance methods, and neural networks and related approaches.Resource Selection by Animals: - is an invaluable guide for field biologists; - provides a consistent framework for study of resource selection (food and habitat) by animals; - is a unique guide, and is the only book which covers this critical topic in such depth; and - is particularly useful to wildlife managers and conservation biologists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Enthusiastically recommended as a college-level text.
Vertebrate Life would serve as an excellent upper-level college textbook to anyone interested in becoming informed about vertebrates. Professionally, I am a physicist, who after visiting the American Museum of Natural History's Hall of Vertebrates, wanted to learn more about the subject. Even after reading Vertebrate Life, I don't think that I could point out the squamate bone on a fossilized skull. On the other hand, with 733 pages, it is unfair to critize this book about a lack of coverage! The a