The amateur naturalist's handbook by Vinson Brown published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1948. First Edition, Eleventh Printing. Hardcover with dust jacket.
This book is a comprehensive introduction to the natural life sciences intended primarily for the use of young people, but equally helpful to the amateur naturalist, nature study teacher, nature guide, or any person of any age looking for a thorough but easy-to-understand handbook of natural history.
The book is divided into four sections: The Beginning Naturalist, The Student Naturalist, The Advanced Student Naturalist, Becoming an Explorer-Naturalist. Each section delves further into the secrets of animals, plants, minerals and weather, in a progression which results in a fine sense of knowledge and accomplishment, and also rapidly develops a powerful and satisfying hobby with a serious purpose.
CONDITION: This book is in good condition. Tight binding, clean text. Book shows normal fairly minor signs of storage & age. The cover is worn, scuffed and has edge wear. Pages have turned yellow from age. The dust jacket is soiled, worn, scuffed, has a small tear and edge wear but previous owner wrapped it with a clear cover to protect it from further damage. Please see pictures. THE PICTURES ARE TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE DESCRIPTION. PLEASE REVIEW THEM FOR A BETTER IDEA OF CONDITION.
CONTENTS:
INTRODUCTION
The Trail of the Naturalist
What Nature Study Is
NATURAL SCIENCE DIVISIONS
GREAT NATURALISTS
THINGS TO REMEMBER IN STUDYING NATURE
Ideals of the Naturalist
Division One:
THE BEGINNING NATURALIST
Animals and Animal Collecting
OBSERVING ANIMALS
COLLECTING ANIMALS
HOW TO MAKE MOUNTED COLLECTIONS
SKINNING
Plants and Plant Collecting
OBSERVING PLANTS
COLLECTING PLANTS
PRESSING AND MOUNTING
Rocks and Minerals and Their Collecting
LOOKING FOR ROCKS AND MINERALS
MAKING A ROCK COLLECTION
Climate
SOME LAWS OF TEMPERATURE
SOME LAWS OF WINDS
SOME LAWS OF MOISTURE
CLOUDS
Division Two:
THE STUDENT NATURALIST
Thinking Out a Problem
GRAPH STUDY
Animal Study
THE NATURE OF ANIMAL LIFE
MAKING YOUR OWN ZOO
THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER
ABOUT KEEPING WILD ANIMALS
HOMES FOR INSECTS
AN AQUARIUM
OBSERVING ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY
BEGINNING CLASSIFICATION & ANATOMY
OF ANIMALS
DISSECTING
ANIMAL CLASSIFICATION CHART
Plant Study
GROWING PLANTS
THE NATURE OF PLANTS
THE PARTS OF A PLANT & THEIR FUNCTIONS
AN EXPERIMENT IN PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS
Study of Rocks and Minerals
SEDIMENTARY, IGNEOUS, AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS
CHART OF ROCK DEVELOPMENT
THE NATURE OF MINERALS
CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALS
A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROCKS AND OF LIFE
Climate Study
AIR MASS ANALYSIS
CLOUDS
CLOUD WEATHER SIGNS
MAKING YOUR OWN WEATHER STATION
CHART OF WIND FORCE
CLOUD NAME ABBREVIATIONS
TOOLS
RECORDS
Continuing the Trail of the Naturalist
Division Three:
THE ADVANCED NATURALIST
The Classification and Special Study of
Animals
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
A CHART OF THE PHYLA & CLASSES OF ANIMALS
LARGE LIFE ON LAND
A KEY TO SOME COMMON MAMMALS OF THE UNITED STATES
POND AND STREAM LIFE
LIFE IN THE SEA AND ON THE SEASHORE
INSECT LIFE
The Classification of Plants
A KEY TO SOME COMMON FAMILIES OF PLANTS
SCIENTIFIC DRAWINGS OF PLANTS
A GLOSSARY OF COMMON BOTANICAL TERMS
Rock and Mineral Classification
A KEY TO SOME COMMON MINERALS
A KEY TO SOME COMMON ROCKS
A GLOSSARY OF COMMON GEOLOGIC TERMS
LAND FORMS
A KEY TO LAND FORMS
Ecology
TYPES OF ACTION OF CLIMATE ON ANIMALS
TYPES OF ACTION OF CLIMATE ON PLANTS
TYPES OF ACTION OF GEOGRAPHY ON ANIMALS AND PLANTS
TYPES OF ACTION OF PLANTS ON PLANTS
TYPES OF ACTION OF ANIMAL ON ANIMAL
TYPES OF INTERACTION OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS
TYPES OF LINKAGE OF MANY ECOLOGIC FACTORS
Division Four:
BECOMING AN EXPLORER-NATURALIST
The Naturalist as a Scientist
WHAT THE SCIENTIST IS
THE SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDE
SOME CLASSICS OF NATURAL SCIENCE
ZOOLOGY
BOTANY
GEOLOGY
CLIMATOLOGY
ECOLOGY
CONCLUSION
The Crossroads
Appendices
Nature Tests
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index