Historia Animalium By D Arcy W Thompson 1910

The Swedish scholar and prelate, Olaus Magnus (1490-1557), last Catholic archbishop of Uppsala, lived the latter half of his life in exile. His devotion to his country and his people never faltered, nor his determination to give them a glorious place on the European cultural map by his writings. On his justly famous Carta Marina, published in Venice in 1539, he promised a fuller account of the North and its marvels. This he accomplished in January 1555 when he issued from his own press in Rome his magnificent Historia de gentibus septenrionalibus. This quarto volume of 815 pages, divided into 22 books and a total of 778 chapters, was lavishly illustrated with some 480 woodcuts, most of them closely relevant to the technical matters discussed by the author. The book was an immediate success, and half a dozen editions appeared in the century after Olaus's death. It became even better known in an epitome published in Antwerp in 1558, which was also frequently reprinted and translated. This appeared in English in 1658, but it is only with the present version, complete with illustrations, that the whole work is made available to the English-reading world. It is indeed only the second full translation to appear in modern times, preceded a Swedish version published in four parts between 1909 and 1925. There is little history in the sense of chronological narrative in Olaus Magnus's Historia. It is rightly regarded as an ethnographic essay on an encyclopaedic scale, touching on a vast variety of topics, snowflakes and sea-serpents, elks and artillery, sables and saltpetre, watermills and werewolves. Much of it was culled from ancient authorities- it was a matter of patriotic pride to identify the Swedes as the only legitimate descendants of the Goths- but much of it was derived from the author's personal observations, especially those made on his early travels in North Sweden. His pioneering and sympathetic account of the Lapps and their way of life has attracted p

History of Magic and Experimental Science is a two-volume study by Lynn Thorndike, American historian of medieval science and alchemy. The book covers a period from antique until the thirteen century. Thorndike writes about magic and science in medieval times with the goal of finding a historical truth. Table of Contents: Volume 1: Book I. The Roman Empire Book II. Early Christian Thought Book III. The Early Middle Ages Volume 2: Book IV. The Twelfth Century Book V. The Thirteenth Century

This timely book brings readers up to date on the wide range of advances made in fisheries science since the publication in 1957 of On the Dynamics of Exploited Fish Populations (Beverton and Holt), regarded by many fisheries scientists as one of the most important books on fisheries yet published. Traditional fishery subjects covered include historic declines and changes in fishing fleets, fisheries management and stock assessments, data-poor situations, simulation and modelling of fished stocks, fisheries economics, assessing reproductive potential and dispersal of larvae, fisheries for sharks and rays, and use of marine technology. Additionally, related subjects of increasing importance now that ecological approaches to management are coming to the fore are presented. They include benthic ecology, ecosystem changes linked to fishing, life history theory, the effects of chemicals on fish reproduction, and use of sounds in the sea by marine life. Several chapters offer stimulating philosophical discussion of the many controversial areas still existing. This significant book, edited by Andy Payne, John Cotter and Ted Potter and containing contributions by world-renowned fisheries scientists, including many based at Cefas (where Beverton and Holt's original work was carried out) is an essential purchase for fisheries managers and scientists, fish biologists, marine scientists and ecologists. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where fisheries and biological sciences are studied and taught are likely to need copies of this landmark publication.

This volume draws together Allan Gotthelf's pioneering work on Aristotle's biology. He examines Aristotle's natural teleology, the axiomatic structure of biological explanation, and the reliance on scientifically organized data in the three great works with which Aristotle laid the foundations of biological science.