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The Zoological Exploration of Southern Africa 1650-1790
L. C. Rookmaaker
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 South Africa
| Africa
| History
| Subjects
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General
| Animals
| Biological Sciences
| Science
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General
| Biology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
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General
| Zoology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
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General
| Science
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General
| Zoology
| Biological Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
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| Books
ASIN: 9061918677 |
Book Description
The 18th century witnessed a new interest in African animals. Research was undertaken at the Cape of Good Hope by explorers whose books, manuscripts and drawings concerning mammals and birds are listed and discussed within this text.;This text gives details on four collections of 300 mammal and bird drawings connected with Levaillant's research. Many examples are illustrated. The zoological contents of the material left by these seven explorers are analyzed for all mammals and birds emphasizing the history, taxonomy, nomenclature and zoogeography.
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A Siamese Embassy Lost in Africa 1686: The Odyssey of Ok-Khun Chamnan (Treasures from the Past)
Guy Tachard
Manufacturer: Silkworm Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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General
| Historical
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Thailand
| Asia
| History
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Southeast Asia
| Asia
| History
| Subjects
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Renaissance
| World
| History
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Travel
| Writing
| Reference
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Essays & Travelogues
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
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General
| Thailand
| Asia
| Travel
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General
| Travel
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General
| Geography
| Earth Sciences
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ASIN: 9747100959 |
Book Description
This long-forgotten tale of the shipwreck off the coast of Africa of a Siamese embassy to Lisbon in 1686 lay buried in the text of a French book printed 300 years ago. The author of the text was the intrepid and intriguing Jesuit Tachard, who published accounts of his first two journeys to Siam. In his second book, written when he was King Narai's personal envoy to Louis XIV and Pope Innocent XI, Tachard relates the account of the shipwreck as told by one of its survivors, Ok-khun Chamnan Chaicong, who was accompanying Tachard on his return to France.
Ok-khun Chamnan, during his odyssey as part of the aborted embassy to Portugal, spent nearly a year in Goa, where he learned Portuguese; a month traveling overland from Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa, to the Cape of Good Hope; four months at the Dutch settlement at the Cape; six months in Batavia; and several months at sea. On his return to Siam in 1687 he was ordered to greet the French envoys La Loubre and SŽberet soon after their arrival.
The adventures of this Siamese khunnang did not end with his unsuccessful journey to Lisbon. He went on to Europe in 1688, visited the Riviera and Rome in winter, met the pope, and then in 1689 had an audience with Louis XIV. He converted to Catholicism and returned from Europe in 1690, disembarking at Balassor in Bengal before returning to Ayutthaya overland from Mergui.
This extraordinary account has been translated into English for the first time, and is accompanied by three contemporary texts by Choisy, Tachard, and La Loubre describing the Dutch settlement at the Cape.
Book Description
The 44 chapters in Birding Oregon describe over 200 birding sites, and include samples from all the major ecoregions in Oregon. All sites listed in the book meet three criteria: They offer consistently good birding, are located on public land or on land open to the birding public, and are accessible in a normal passenger car.
Customer Reviews:
A New Birding Guide for Oregon.......2007-02-25
Falcon Guides have, through the years, become one of the most reliable nature-oriented publishers in the US. Over the past ten years or so, dozens of volumes dealing with everything from hiking, to nature watching, to birding and beyond have been published, usually to much acclaim. Like any publishing firm, of course, some of Falcon's volumes are far superior to others. Birding Texas, for example, one of the oldest guides to birding the Lone Star State, is still one of the best on the market. The far more recent Birding North Carolina, on the other hand, while interesting, is "thin" and lacking in dozens of ways. John Rakestraw's Birding Oregon, the latest in Falcon's multi-volume series, falls somewhere in the middle between these two examples.
Oregon is, quite obviously, a huge state with an unbelievable diversity of geography, from 10,000 feet-plus mountains to high desert regions, from hundreds of miles of Pacific Ocean coastline to forests which seemingly never end. For birding enthusiasts, it probably is unreasonable to expect that any one volume would be able to provide a thorough guide to the state's complexity. Certainly, this particular book does not fulfill that need. That having been said, however, Rakestraw (and Falcon) have done birders and nature-lovers, whether residents of Oregon or simply tourists passing through, an important service. In Birding Oregon, the author has focused on what he calls "44 Prime Birding Areas with More Than 200 Specific Sites" where one might realistically find a wide diversity of birds within the state. Oregon has long needed such a modern guide like this--the most recent before Rakestraw's study came out in 1990--and, for now anyway, it will be the definitive volume which birders will consult.
It is easy to praise this volume but it is also important to note that most of the discussions of possible sites for seeing birds in the state are very skimpy, at best, and that the directions for reaching most of them leave a great deal to be desired. Though there are nineteen pages of GPS-compatible maps in the back of the volume as well as a seasonal abundance chart to the 505 birds which have, at one time or another, appeared within the state's boundaries, in many ways, this book is far more a travel guide than a birding one. Far too often Rakestraw barely discusses the variety of bird life that can be found at the sites that he has highlighted. We can only hope that sometime in the not-too-distant future another far more detailed guide book will come on the market. Until it does, however, Birding Oregon is a "must" for glove compartments and backpacks as bird lovers head out to see the beauty that is Oregon.
Customer Reviews:
Birding Lane County.......2007-05-29
I've started to spend the summers in Eugene, Oregon to escape the heat in the Phoenix area. Eugene is in Lane County and this book is invaluable to plan birding trips from Eugene. It lists all the birding spots in the county and tells you what to expect at the different times of the year. It's a wonderful, well done book.
Book Description
Featuring as many as 175 birds apiece and nearly 300 photographs, illustrations and maps, this handy, informative book adds two Pacific Northwestern states to National Geographic's growing series of field guides. Like its predecessors, this guide provides birders with quick and easy access to the kind of specific facts and savvy advice that they need: a regional map of birding hotspots; a knowledgeable introduction by a local expert on which birds to look for, where to find them, and what to focus on when they appear; a section on birding basics, field identification, and how to make the best use of the guide and its resources; scores of individual entries with photographs of each bird, recognition tips, and notes on behavior, habitat, and particular sites; and two indexes: one color-coded, the other alphabetical with life list boxes. An ideal solution for visitors looking to make the most of limited time and a valuable reference for anyone who lives in the region, these books belong in every birder's library, beginner and veteran alike.
Washington & Oregon: a diverse mix of coastal, mountain, forest, and plains species make the Northwest a birder's paradise whose avian highlights include the elusive Blue Grouse, the colorful, shore-dwelling Rhinoceros Auklet, the dramatic and powerful Canada Goose, and the Tufted Puffin, among many others.
Customer Reviews:
National Geographic Field Guide.......2007-10-12
Good book, but not my favorite. I have other guides I use more. I have 3 field guides including this book, so I have a varity of pictures to compare with.
Exceptional Pictures.......2007-02-17
This book is small enough to fit easily into my case with my binoculars and my camera, yet comprehensive enough to help me identify many birds. The photographs are exceptionally clear and detailed.
Book Description
Birds are all around us! This guide, packed with magnificent photographs and written in easy-to-understand language, is a great companion for anyone going for a hike, a walk in the park, or just a quiet afternoon watching birds in the backyard. The book features 130 favorite species of birds, each highlighted with one or more vivid color photographs and a clear description, nesting information and interesting notes. Did you know that the fastest bird in the world flies free in the Pacific Northwest? It is the peregrine falcon, just one of the species featured in this concise but comprehensive book. Additional information includes tips and techniques on birding, ideas for attracting birds to the backyard, and much more.
Product Description
Learn about and identify birds using Stan Tekiela's state-by-state field guides. The full-page, color photos are incomparable and include insets of winter plumage, color morphs and more. Plus, with the easy-to-use format, you don't need to know a bird's name or classification in order to easily find it in the book. Using this field guide is a real pleasure. It's a great way for anyone to learn about the birds in your state.
Customer Reviews:
Birds of Oregon Field Guide.......2007-10-12
My favorite field guide so far. Easy to use and good photos. It can be hard to "look" up a bird as they are arranged by color only rather than type and color. I have had some trouble finding a bird based on color for instance: I will see a bird that I consider mostly brown, but the book considers the bird to be mostly gray. So you have to check all possible colors for the bird.
Birds of Oregon Field Guide (Field Guides).......2007-03-23
Very informational book,yet the colors in some of the pictures seem "off",maybe due to the printing?
Nice little book, does its job.......2006-10-12
I was soo addicted to my old Peterson guide, and I bought this for my Mom, who loves the format. After using it a few times, I like it better. Its a good little, usable field guide. Now we keep three bird books in a basket with two sets of glasses everytime we sit out in the yard. Mom grabs this one first, then I wrestle it away from her. Pity summers ending.
wish I could buy a copy of his birds of Willamette valley on amazon.
Impressive Oregon Bird Book.......2006-07-28
This is an excellent, information-packed little book--compact and comprehensive, with brightly colored pictures that make bird recognition fast and easy.
Best Field Guide book!.......2006-05-08
I like this book because it is simple and easy to use. Because it is color coded by birds. Its great for the beginner birder. Plus it let's you check off the birds you have seen in the back of the book. I would definatly recommend this book to any beginner birder as their first book of purchase!
Book Description
Oregon Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. Whether you're on a nature hike or in your own backyard, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map highlighting prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability.
Customer Reviews:
Birds of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon.......2007-05-22
The Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Oregon is internationally known to ornithologists and birders. Throughout the year, but especially during spring and autumn migrations, hundreds of thousands of birds can be seen on the refuge. Birds of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon provides the first exhaustive report on the 312 species recorded here over the last 110 years.
For each species you'll learn
* How common it is on the refuge
* Where it is likely to be found on the refuge
* Dates of its earliest, latest, and most frequent sightings on the refuge
C.D. Littlefield is a legendary figure to western birders and an internationally recognized expert on the birds of Malheur, particularly the Sandhill Crane.
--- from book's back cover
Customer Reviews:
Great book for novices........2007-04-18
It is not all inclusive and the pictures are hand drawn, but it is well indexed and easy to find the bird for which you are looking. I have yet to see an Oregon bird that isn't included in this book. I am very satisfied.
Book Description
The definitive source for Oregon ornithology, "Birds of Oregon" is a comprehensive reference to the 486 bird species now known to occur in the state. It combines what is known today about the population status and distribution of each species with current knowledge on their habitats and life histories. "Birds of Oregon" provides interested citizens with a basic understanding of Oregon's rich bird life and serves as an invaluable reference for birders and wildlife professionals.
Customer Reviews:
Birds of Oregon.......2007-10-12
This is a great book to have. NO COLOR pictures, but I use it to learn more about the birds I have already identified with my field guides. Highly recommend it if you are learning about birds in our State. Information on diets, nesting, migration and very detailed areas of sightings.
Hardback vs Paperback Question.......2006-09-26
The reviews so far seem to refer to the original hardback edition.
Are there any differences in content between the hard and paper editions?
No color photographs or paintings.......2005-09-18
I sure should have read the reviews before buying this book. If you want color, feast your eyes on the dust cover because that's all you get. Be sure you have your field guide handy.
What happened to my review?.......2003-08-28
A week or more ago I wrote a review for this book. What happened to it?
Birds of Oregon: A General Reference.......2003-08-20
If you live in the Pacific Northwest and have more than a passing interest in birds, you'll eventually invest in this book. It is not a field guide. It has very few illustrations. It is a reference. As such it is filled will information on distribution, phenology, behavior and much more regarding the 480 plus birds that have, so far, been recorded in Oregon. There is no other modern source like it, at least for Oregon. The last reference to come close was written in 1940 (Gabrielson and Jewett's Birds of Oregon).
Is it perfect? No. Many of the distribution maps generated from the Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas are suspect. A few of the accounts are, arguably, incomplete. Many authors contributed to the final work, this is no a criticism in and of itself given the number of accounts that had to be written, but this has led to some inconsistencies in completeness. For example, Ring-billed Gull shows up on the Breeding Bird Atlas for the lower Columbia River, but this is not mentioned in the written account.
Nit picking aside, this is a impressive work. The bibliography alone makes it worth the price.
Books:
- Thomas Jefferson : Writings : Autobiography / Notes on the State of Virginia / Public and Private Papers / Addresses / Letters (Library of America)
- Traditions & Encounters: Traditions And Encounters
- War Without Hate: The Desert Campaign of 1940-43
- Western Civilization: Volume B: 1300 to 1815
- Where Once We Walked: A Guide to the Jewish Communities Destroyed in the Holocaust
- White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s
- World Civilizations: The Global Experience, Volume II (5th Edition) (MyHistoryLab Series)
- 21 Debated: Issues in World Politics, Second Edition
- A History of the County of Essex: Volume IX: The Borough of Colchester (Victoria County History)
- A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1900
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