The Animal Estate
The Animal Estate

Author: Harriet Ritvo

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 1989-01-01

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 0674266730

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When we think about the Victorian age, we usually envision people together with animals: the Queen and her pugs, the sportsman with horses and hounds, the big game hunter with his wild kill, the gentleman farmer with a prize bull. Harriet Ritvo here gives us a vivid picture of how animals figured in English thinking during the nineteenth century and, by extension, how they served as metaphors for human psychological needs and sociopolitical aspirations. Victorian England was a period of burgeoning scientific cattle breeding and newly fashionable dog shows; an age of Empire and big game hunting; an era of reform and reformers that saw the birth of the Royal SPCA. Ritvo examines Victorian thinking about animals in the context of other lines of thought: evolution, class structure, popular science and natural history, imperial domination. The papers and publications of people and organizations concerned with agricultural breeding, veterinary medicine, the world of pets, vivisection and other humane causes, zoos, hunting at home and abroad, all reveal underlying assumptions and deeply held convictions—for example, about Britain’s imperial enterprise, social discipline, and the hierarchy of orders, in nature and in human society. Thus this book contributes a new new topic of inquiry to Victorian studies; its combination of rhetorical analysis with more conventional methods of historical research offers a novel perspective on Victorian culture. And because nineteenth-century attitudes and practices were often the ancestors of contemporary ones, this perspective can also inform modern debates about human–animal interactions.

The Sheep - Breeds of the British Isles (Domesticated Animals of the British Islands)
The Sheep - Breeds of the British Isles (Domesticated Animals of the British Islands)

Author: David Low

Publisher: Read Books Ltd

Published: 2017-09-29

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 1473343127

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"The Sheep - Breeds of the British Isles" is an essay by David Low, published as part of the "Domesticated Animals of the British Islands" series. This fascinating and profusely-illustrated essay explores the history of the British sheep, with information on its various breeds, selection, domestication, management, and much more. This volume is highly recommended for those with an interest in the wildlife of the British isles, and it would make for a fantastic addition to collections of allied literature. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with the original text and artwork.

The Pelagic Dictionary of Natural History of the British Isles
The Pelagic Dictionary of Natural History of the British Isles

Author: Dr. Peter Jarvis

Publisher: Pelagic Publishing Ltd

Published: 2020-01-06

Total Pages: 2365

ISBN-13: 1784271950

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A unique collection of concise but detailed information on 10,000 animals, plants, fungi and algae of the British Isles. Every species with an English common name is included. The compendium is in two parts. The first, smaller part, looks at various terms that people interested in natural history may come across. The second provides information on individual species or species groups, with entries on those with English (common) names, as well as selected families, orders, classes, etc. In the case of marine organisms, entries are given for intertidal and subtidal invertebrate species, and generally speaking for fish species that might be observed inshore. Indication is often given on distribution as well as whether a species is common, scarce or something in between. For some species a note is made of population size and trends. Comments are made where appropriate on etymology, both of the English name and the binomial. No other natural history dictionary or cognate publication relating to the British Isles is as comprehensive in taxonomic cover.

Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World
Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World

Author: Christopher Lever

Publisher:

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 9780198507710

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This book describes how the various alien reptiles and amphibians now living in the wild throughout the world were first introduced, how they subsequently became naturalized, their present distribution and status in those countries to which they were introduced, and their ecological and socio-economic impact on the native biota and local economies. Many species have had a more or less neutral impact, being neither beneficial nor harmful. However, several have had a positive ecological or socio-economic impact, while some such as the cane toad, have had an extremely destructive effect.The criteria for inclusion of a species are that it should have been imported from its natural range to a new country by human agency--either accidentally or deliberately--and that it should currently be established in the wild in self-maintaining and self-perpetuating populations unsupported by and independent of mankind.

Invasive Aliens: The Plants and Animals From Over There That Are Over Here
Invasive Aliens: The Plants and Animals From Over There That Are Over Here

Author: Dan Eatherley

Publisher: HarperCollins UK

Published: 2019-06-27

Total Pages: 299

ISBN-13: 0008262764

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‘The story of “invasive species” is really the story of human history, and Eatherley tells it with great verve ... Fascinating’ Daily Telegraph A unique history of plant and animal invaders of the British isles spanning thousands of years of arrivals and escapes, as well as defences mounted and a look to the future.

The History of British Mammals
The History of British Mammals

Author: Derek Yalden

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2010-01-31

Total Pages: 494

ISBN-13: 1408128713

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As ice retreated from Britain 15,000 years ago, a host of large mammals including reindeer, wild horses, wooly mammoths, moose, wolves, brown bears, lynxes and wolverines established itself in Britain. The largest surviving wild land mammal today, the red deer, the largest contemporary land carnivore, the badger and another 65 or so extant wild mammals included about a quarter of the wild mammals that have been introduced in the last 15,000 years. The contemporary fauna, however, is largely dominated by domestic animals, such as cattle, sheep, pigs and humans. This book explores the fate of the large extinct species, as well as how, why, and when the introduced species appeared.

The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1875-1900
The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1875-1900

Author: Simon Holloway

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2010-01-31

Total Pages: 867

ISBN-13: 1408128667

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The landscape of Britain has been irreversibly changed over the last century. Modern agriculture, urban expansion, industry and transport have all left their mark, altering the face of the countryside forever. Shifting with the changing scene, the fortunes of Britain and Ireland's bird populations have fluctuated dramatically over the years. As current farming practices have evolved, the natural habitats and breeding patterns of many species have been disrupted. Urban and industrial growth has brought with it the pressures of new land use, pesticides, pollution and human interference. The activities of sportsmen, collectors and farmers have also taken their toll over the years. The new Poyser title The Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland 1875-1900 is a fascinating book resulting form years of meticulous research by the author, Simon Holloway, who provides an absorbing account of the distribution changes of Britain and Ireland's birds over the last quarter of a century. Large colour distribution maps and their accompanying text paint a species-by-species picture of a period which completely transformed the landscape of this country. It is, says Natural World magazine, "a classic case of 'why did no one write this book before?'...The experienced birder, using a knowledge of species requirements, can only marvel at what the long-vanished landscapes were then like." Birdwatch praises Simon Holloway's achievement, saying: "This book brings together so much information from disparate sources, and its status maps present such a clear picture of our late Victorian avifauna, that it should take its place beside the BTO atlases on the bookshelf." While Birdwatching adds: "If you are interested in the historical side of birds and their populations this book will be an endless source of fascination." As with all Poyser publications, the attention to detail, the lovingly produced illustrations and the sheer breadth of knowledge demonstrated by the autho