cheap books on Natural History

Dave, I’m not familiar with these two books.

Are they completely new publications or simply the relevant chapters extracted unchanged from the most recent version of “Walker’s Mammals of the World”?

I guess the fact that the taxonomy of the genus Felis has not been updated possibly suggests the former.

(I have several different editions of “Walker's Mammals of the World”; it used to be a particular favourite of mine but it really has been (or will be) superseded by the “Handbook of the Mammals of the World”.)

 

Thanks for link!

 

Thank for answering my question; I've already got the latest two-volume set of "Walker" so these are no use to me then - but what a bargain at less than £4 each.

 

These books sound like reference books, so is that how you would use them, or would you read them from cover to cover? Also, do you use these books for work, or are they for pleasure?

 

After reading this thread I logged into my Amazon and NHBS accounts and was quite surprised to see that since November last year I have spent more than £1,300 on books and journals (no wonder my girlfriend now refers to my home office as "the library").

To anyone considering purchasing "Toucanos" I'd like to say that "Toucans, Barbets, and Honeyguides" by Lester Short and Jenifer Horne and published by Oxford University Press is a vastly superior book. Indeed the entire series "Bird Families of the World" is fantastic and I strongly recomend "Birds of Paradise", "Herons" the now out of print volumes "Hornbills", "Megapodes" and my favourite; the two volume "Ducks, Geese and Swans". Here is a link:
Bird Families of the World - Biological Sciences Series - Series - Academic, Professional, & General - Oxford University Press

I say this as an owner of all published volumes of HBW.

I'm curious if anyone here has a complete set of hardbound "International Zoo Yearbooks"?

 

Yeah, Personally I have read a few cover to cover (most recently "Duikers of Africa - Masters of the African Forest Floor: A Study of Duikers - People - Hunting and Bushmeat") and others I haven't even opened (perhaps as many as 10 volumes of HBW would be good examples).

I think part of the reason I purchase them partially becasue I was blown away by the library at London Zoo. I have worked in the industry and have referenced some of my books and journals but it's nice to have them there to browse from time to time. I also have a bunch of textbooks left over from by University days which I haven't opened since then!

I also buy field guides for mammals, birds and herps to most of my travel destinations, not for me so much but for my girlfriend and to see the expression of joy on her face when she successfully identifies something (I'll confess to using the books for the odd lbj and lesser known herps).

 

I just checked my records and this year (as of today) I've spent $1511.74 on 37 books. I have some journals that are part of memberships that are not included in that figure.

And I still have a way to go - HMW 3 still to come!



Hix

 

I don't even think I got 30 books for the money I've spent since November!
I did purchase the first two volumes of HMW but after seeing the plates for the third I'm honestly torn as to whether I want to continue this series, plus primate taxonomy moves so quickly the book is already obsolete when it comes to titi monkeys.

A few weeks ago I purchased "Black Python 'Morelia boeleni' (Frankfurt Contributions to Natural History Vol. 26)" Which I started reading on a train this morning. I have a few other books by the publisher and they're very good. (It was about £55 from a German online book store if anyone is interested?)

Perhaps somone should start a Natural History book recomendation thread?

 

My package from PostScript arrived today. I ordered the same Walkers volumes as Tea Loving Dave (I added them to my basket just before reading his post, great minds ) plus Baker's book on the Peregrine, the first book NH book I have owned with a recommendation from the Poet Laureate on the cover. Total damage, including postage, £18.97. What's not to like? Thank you Chlidonias

Alan

 

This one's got a cheetah on the front, and the aerial photo on the back.

 

This cheetah-cover book does still have wolves, but the map enclosed within it doesn't have wolves. I'm assuming they had only just gone. Where were the wolves kept? I can see gaps over where the hunting dogs are now and in the area now occupied by the tigers.