Gerald and Lee Durrell's book is a richly illustrated guide to becoming an amateur naturalist that encourages readers to get outside and explore the world of nature first-hand. The book mixes practical tips (such as what to pack in a naturalist's daypack, how to take plaster casts of animal tracks, how to garden for wildlife, and how to use a hand lens) with detailed information about a wide variety of habitats (chaparral, grasslands, desert, tundra, deciduous woodlands, coniferous woodlands, tropical forest, mountain, ponds, streams, wetlands, cliffs, dunes, shores, oceans and more).
Author:
Gerald Durrel
RRP:
out of print
Published Date:
12-10-83
ISBN:
0394533909
Format
Paperback Hardback
Author
eeyore Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire
Registered: February 2006 Location: i'm right here Posts: 11154
Review Date: Thu 9, November, 2006
Would you recommend it? Yes |
Total Spent: £15.00| Rating: 10
Strengths:
fantastic , inspirational and very detailed
Weaknesses:
somewhat dated now
I was given this book for my 12th birthday and it more than any other was responsible for building my interest in the natural world into the obsession it is today.
I found it increddibly inspirational (and still do) and spent hours poring over it and working on surveys , traps , studies you name it. I can think of no better present for a child who is interested in nature study (so long as they have a good vocabluary) , and many adults will find it equally interesting.
its only drawback is that it is a bit dated now (for instance digital cameras were not arround when this was written) and subsequently it has been updated into the new amateur naturalist by chris packham , but for me this is the original and still the best.
------------------------------ Some people are like slinkies, good for nowt, but they make you smile when pushed down stairs
