Diversions of a Naturalist

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lankester, E. Ray, Sir (Edwin Ray), 1847-1929

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Diversions of a Naturalist" by Sir E. Ray Lankester is a collection of essays written in the early 20th century. This work offers engaging reflections on natural history, exploring various aspects of the natural world and the author's experiences as a naturalist. The essays are drawn from Lankester's articles for a popular audience, showcasing the beauty and complexity of nature while providing insight into the field of marine zoology. The opening of the collection presents Lankester's introspective preface, where he discusses the need for moments of respite from the anxieties of wartime life. He reflects on his love for nature and the joy derived from studying it. The first chapter takes readers on an evocative journey into a Norwegian fiord where Lankester recounts his exhilarating experiences with marine dredging. He recalls the excitement of reeling in the ocean's treasures, such as coral, starfish, and the elusive "lancelet," all while grappling with the challenges of sea-sickness and the unpredictable sea. This blend of personal narrative and scientific observation sets the tone for the collection, promising a delightful exploration of natural history. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

On a Norwegian fiord

Nature-reserves

Far from the madding crowd

The great grey seal

The grouse and other birds

The sand and pebbles of the seashore

The constituents of a seabeach

Quicksands and fire-stones

Amber

Sea-worms and sea-anemones

Coral-makers and jelly-fish

Shrimps, crabs, and barnacles

Barnacles and other crustaceans

The history of the barnacle and the goose

More as to the barnacle and the goose

Sea-shells on the seashore

Sand-hoppers

A Swiss interlude

Science and dancing

Courtship

Courtship in animals and man

Courtship and display

Courtship, instinct and reason

Daddy-Long-Legs

The moth and the candle

From ape to man

The skeleton of apes and of man

The brain of apes and of man

The mind of apes and of man

The missing link

The supply of pure milk

Christmas trees and other pine trees

The lymph and the lymphatic system

The blood and its circulation

Fish and fast days

Science and the unknown

Divination and palmistry

Toads found living in stone

The divining-rod

Birth-marks and telegony

How to promote scientific discovery by money.

Credits:

Produced by Alan, Turgut Dincer and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 58.2 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Release date is 2020-01-19