Ernest Williams, the Leonard C. Ferguson Professor of Biology at Hamilton College, will discuss and sign his latest book, The Nature Handbook: A Guide to Observing the Great Outdoors, at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 4811 Commercial Drive, New Hartford, on Tuesday, May 9, beginning at 7 p.m.
The Nature Handbook (Oxford University Press, 2005), has a field guide format but is a guide to explain patterns and observations in nature, not to identify species, Williams explains. More than 500 color photos show 227 patterns and the book offers concise, scientifically current explanations for the reasons behind these patterns.
The book also includes references to nearly 1,000 sources, most of which are from the scientific literature. Williams himself took about 350 of the book's photos.
According to the publisher's Web site, "Observations in the Handbook are arranged in the three main sections of plants, animals, and habitats. These sections are then connected through discussions of the relationship of size and shape, adaptations, distribution patterns, behavior, and diversity of life. Since the emphasis is on patterns rather than individual species, each chapter has cross-references to related topics."
