HarperCollins
Все книги издательства HarperCollinsMammals in the British Isles
Mammals in the British Isles looks at the influences on their numbers and distribution, both now and in the past, examines aspects of their biology with emphasis on function and physiology, and concludes with an account of relationships with man.This book by Dr Harrison Matthews will be warmly welcomed by all those for whom his British Mammals, in this series, was a standard work for nearly 30 years. In recent years our understanding of the British species has expanded greatly. This volume offers a synthesis of modern knowledge derived from living animals studied in the field and covering all facets of mammalian life in the British Isles. It will be as important to a new generation of naturalists as the previous book was to an older one.The book is full of fascinating detail – of the shrews which scream in defence of territory to avoid fighting; of young rats that play to learn while adult otters play for fun; of vole 'plague' populations which crash as a result of stress; of monogamy and parental care of the dog fox – but it also paints a broader picture of interdependence, conservation and the part played by man.As much a part of nature as any other member of the fauna, it is man who has created the character of the environment – by clearing, draining, building and developing agriculture – and made available the wide variety of habitats occupied by indigenous, introduced and feral populations.Dr Harrison Matthews gives a general account of British mammals and the things influencing their numbers and distribution both now and in the past, examines aspects of their biology with emphasis on function and physiology, and concludes with an account of relationships with man and the measures he has taken for their control and conservation.
Ants
Ants should provide both the amateur naturalist and the professional zoologist with a valuable source of reference, and a fascinating account of the lives of an intriguing group of insects.Ants have always exercised a fascination that extends beyond the world of biology. They have attracted the attention of poets and dramatists, and also of those philosophers and political theorists who have envied their apparent industry and rigid and complex communal organisation. The social life of ants is indeed extraordinary. It forms the basis of their entire lives; an ant on its own has no chance of survival. Ants are the only group of insects in which there are no solitary species at all.In this book Dr Brian, the country's leading authority on ants, brings together the results of recent research (much of it his own) into the zoology, ecology and social life of the group. Dr Brian begins by discussing the relationship of ants to other insects, their anatomy and physiology, and then turns to the different species of British ant (with an identification key), feeding, including aphid 'farming' and the specialised role of the workers in acting as travelling food containers for the nest itself, the rearing of the young and the different caste systems (including the life history of the queen), the ecological significance of ants, and the role they play in the lives of other animals. Particular attention is paid to the importance of communication in the ant society, and there is a complete section of distribution maps – one for each of the 47 British Species – compiled according to the latest available data. There are 16 plates of black and white photographs and two colour plates of ant species specially painted for this volume by Gordon Riley.This book should provide both the amateur naturalist and the professional zoologist with a valuable source of reference, and a fascinating account of the lives of an intriguing group of insects.
Reunited At The King's Court
Kept apart by duty… Reunited by love?Arlette Dryden has never forgotten William Latham, the Royalist soldier who accompanied her to safety while the battle of Worcester raged. Or how her heart broke when he left. Now, it’s the exiled king’s return parade, and stunned Arlette locks eyes with her charismatic cavalier again. She’s still irresistibly drawn to him, but as both have convenient betrothals beckoning, can their long-held passion conquer all?
Her Dark Knight's Redemption
‘This man was shadow and night… He was Darkness.’Homeless Aliette is saved from punishment for stealing by a mysterious knight. This stranger informs her that to stay alive she must claim his child as her own. She should fear the knight’s power, and yet it’s clear there’s more good to this man than he’s prepared to show. Can she break down the barriers of the tortured knight she calls Darkness…?
The Inconvenient Elmswood Marriage
Their marriage was a solution… Until passion turns it into a problem!Lord and Lady Elmswood’s convenient marriage has allowed them to live separate lives for years. Until larger-than-life Daniel almost dies and Kate must nurse the husband she barely knows back to health…and discover how maddeningly attractive he is! With the clock ticking on his departure, they disagree on everything – except the impossibility of resisting each other!
A Child's Gift
Will an abandoned child bring them together?Or tear them apart?Cowboy Jericho Johnson lives a good life working on the Rebel family’s Texas ranch. All he’s missing is a wonderful woman like Anamarie Wiznowski. But Rico’s troubled past and Ana’s disapproving family conspire against them. When Rico is named guardian to a four-year-old boy, he asks Ana for help. And suddenly, he’s falling faster than Christmas snow…for Ana, sweet little Dusty and life as a family man!
Her Secret Alaskan Family
Can she come home to a place she’s never known?Everyone remembers the kidnapped Alaskan baby…but they don’t know she’s returned home.Sage Duncan is the only person in Owl Creek who knows her true identity: the missing Alaskan chocolate heiress. Now she’s returned to Alaska to learn about the family she was stolen from—without disclosing her identity. But keeping her deep secret from gorgeous town sheriff Hank Crawford is much harder than Sage thought…especially when she finds herself falling for him.
The Amish Marriage Bargain
Will a baby girl bring them together at last?She’ll do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heartNothing can keep May Bender in her Amish hometown—except caring for her baby niece. But the bishop insists that May also marry her widowed brother-in-law, Thad Hochstedler—the beau who jilted her to wed her sister. Can May risk her heart long enough to learn the real reason for Thad’s first marriage…and possibly rediscover their love?
Danger In The Deep
When buried secrets surface,she’s caught in a criminal’s crosshairs.Aquarium employee Olivia Smith isn’t sure why someone wants her dead—but Marine Corps pilot Brady Johnson knows a secret that could explain it. Brady vowed he’d tell no one that Olivia’s husband had been on the run from his own mob family before he died, but he also promised he’d keep Olivia safe. With danger running deep, they’ll have to work fast to stay alive.
Her Cowboy Till Christmas
She’s only home for the holidays… Can he convince her to stay?The last person rancher Mason Fanning ever expects to see again is the girl who once broke his heart. Brittany Green is in town for Christmas and trying to convince her ailing grandmother to move away. Can Mason show her all she really needs to fulfil her dreams is right here in Wyoming?