Buzzing Rattlesnakes

An introduction to the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of the rattlesnake.

Observations, speculations, legneds and yarns about the habits and dispositions of rattlesnakes.

Each easy-to-read nonfiction book for younger students introduces animal life cycles, similarities and differences, adaptations, habitats, communication, interdependence, and needs. With crisp, close-up color photographs and higher-level thinking questions built into each text, this innovative series engages new readers in their own learning.

Introduces anatomy, behavior, and homes of bumblebees.

This virtual encyclopedia of the rattlesnake became a natural history sensation when it was first published in 1956. The republication of the Second Edition, with a new foreword by Harry W. Greene, will give amateur and professional herpetologists alike reason to rejoice. Volume 1 covers taxonomy, physiology, and behavior; Volume 2 concentrates on the rattlesnake's interactions with other organisms, including humans. Klauber's detailed and thorough study is still one of the most complete rattlesnake references ever published.Greene's Foreword discusses the initial impact and continuing value of Klauber's work and recounts some of the advances in knowledge of rattlesnake biology during the past 25 years. Also included is an update of rattlesnake taxonomy.

A hundred and fifty years ago, naval warfare entered a new phase with the introduction of ironclad vessels. On March 9, 1862, the USS Monitor, prototype of this new class of warships, fought the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads, Virginia, after the Virginia had ravaged the Union fleet blockading the James River, sinking larger, seemingly more powerful wooden warships in a potent demonstration of the power of an armored, heavily-gunned, steam-powered warship. In the world’s first clash between iron-armored warships, Monitor and Virginia exchanged gunfire at close range for nearly four hours. Neither inflicted serious damage on the other. While a technical stalemate, the events at Hampton Roads changed naval warfare forever. In the United States and abroad, iron and steam would soon replace wood and sail for warship construction. Less than nine months later, the now-famous Monitor was under tow, heading south to Beaufort, North Carolina, when she sank in heavy seas, with substantial loss of life. Monitor was a total and irretrievable loss; even the location of her final resting place became a mystery. Not until 1973 was the inverted hull located, and in 1974 excavation of the wreck began, under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in partnership with the US Navy. The decision to place the Monitor in a protected zone—a national marine sanctuary—marked another historic first for the vessel. The story of this decision, the raising of the turret, and the subsequent management of the historic resource adds another layer of history to the Monitor’s fascinating story. Sidebars in the book flesh out details and add anecdotal color to the story of Monitor and of the efforts to preserve and interpret the site. Lavish illustrations (photographs, site drawings, and artifact sketches) complement the informative and highly readable account by the archaeologist who planned and directed the major expeditions that resulted in recovery of many of the Monitor’s most significant objects, as well as the remains of two Union soldiers who were only recently interred in Arlington National Cemetery, more than 150 years after their deaths.

This book is a collection of essays and anecdotes about 19 animals, 18 birds, 15 fish, 10 reptiles, 31 insects, 39 plants, 17 trees, and 6 other subjects encountered in nature by the author, mostly in the region from West Virginia to Vermont. Hopefully, it lends personality to these subjects and leaves the reader with a sense of the changing view of our natural world during the 20th century. It is not encyclopedic, being limited to things the author has had experience with. On the other hand, it contains many off-beat details not to be found in other references. Among stone-age peoples, one of the important duties the hunter had to fulfill when he returned home was to tell the other members of his tribe where he had been, what he had seen, and what he had done. That is what the author attempts to do in this book. For instance, he tells of : Dealings with raccoons, both tame and wild. How to rescue a skunk from a storm drain. Home-made animal traps. What constitutes a successful backwoods fox hunt. How kingfishers and sparrow hawks mourn their dead. Why bluebirds are scarce. Why a killdeer will tease a dog. Where to find bluegills in the Ohio River or smelt in the Niagara River. A box turtle's prediction of dry weather and rain. Living where copperheads live. Playing with garter snakes. How to find a bee tree. The very different lives and habits of hornets, brown wasps, and mud dauber wasps. Sleeping with bedbugs. The psychological warfare of the deer fly. When to look for snow fleas. How to recognize chamomile by its aroma. The scarcity of ginseng. Trouble with jack-in-the-pulpit. Using jimson weed to kill flys. The forms and effects of poison ivy. Why black raspberries grow in smaller patches than red raspberries. Making use of elderberries. How Indians used acorns as food. Growing black walnut trees from seed. There are no pictures in this book. Those would greatly increase the size and &nbs

"A brief introduction to rattlesnakes, including their habitat, food, and life cycle"--Provided by publisher.