Frank Carlson Library

A lavishly illustrated, comprehensive guide to the natural history of dragonflies and damselflies, covering species from around the world. Dragonflies and damselflies are often called birdwatchers' insects. Large, brightly colored, active in the daytime, and displaying complex and interesting behaviors, they have existed since the days of the dinosaurs, and they continue to flourish. Their ancestors were the biggest insects ever, and they still impress...

"From the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, a brilliant scientific exploration of owls, the most elusive group of birds, and an investigation into why these remarkable and yet mysterious animals exert such a hold on human imagination. For centuries, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented over 30,000 years ago, in the Chauvet cave paintings in...

"This tribute to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet (turtles) speaks to the diversity and wisdom of these long-lived reptiles"--

"From the acclaimed duo Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long comes this gorgeous look at the fascinating world of shells. From land snails to freshwater mussels, giant clams to tiny, an incredible array of shells are showcased in all their splendor. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book will spark the imaginations of children in classroom reading circles as well as on parents' laps"--

Conus is the largest genus of animals in the sea, occurring throughout the world's tropical and subtropical oceans and contributing significantly to marine biodiversity. The shells of these marine mollusks are prized for their amazing variety and extraordinary beauty. The neurotoxic venoms they produce-injected by a hollow, harpoon-like tooth into prey animals that are then paralyzed and swallowed whole-have a range of pharmaceutical applications,...

"When Sy Montgomery went to spend a day at falconer Nancy Cowan's farm, home to a dozen magnificent birds of prey, it was the start of a deep love affair. Nancy allowed her to work with Jazz, a feisty, four-year-old, female Harris's hawk with a wingspan of more than four feet. Not a pet, Jazz was a fierce predator with talons that could pierce skin and bone and yet, she was willing to work with a human to hunt. From the first moment Jazz swept down...

"One of American Association for the Advancement of Science's Books for General Audiences and Young Adults 2014" Daphne J. Fairbairn is professor of biology at the University of California, Riverside. She has written widely on the science of sexual differences. The remarkable and unique ways that male and female animals play out gender roles in nature While we joke that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, our gender differences can't compare...

Part of the nonfiction Orca Wild series for middle-grade readers and illustrated with color photographs throughout, this book examines how animals think and the ways scientists study their cognitive abilities. What's going on inside their heads? A deep dive into the minds of animals and how they think. Wouldn't it be amazing to see inside the mind of a lion, a gorilla, an octopus or even a bee? In Animal Minds: What Are They Thinking?, author...

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mama's Last Hug and Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?, a provocative argument that apes have created their own distinctive cultures In The Ape and the Sushi Master, eminent primatologist Frans de Waal corrects our arrogant assumption that humans are the only creatures to have made the leap from the natural to the cultural domain. The book's title derives from an analogy de Waal draws...

The remarkable story of the world's largest marsupial carnivore, including its rescue from near extinction through an innovative breeding program. This second edition has been fully updated. At night their shrieks and growls echo through the Tasmanian bush, and they are famous for their ferocious bite and scavenging habits. In fact the Tasmanian devil is quite shy and solitary, and one of Australia's most treasured native animals. This is the story...