Bulletin

Bulletin
Author: New York Zoological Society
Publisher:
Total Pages: 650
Release: 1925
Genre: Zoology
ISBN:

Vol. 31, no. 1, Jan./Feb. 1928, commemorates "A quarter-century of the New York Aquarium."

America's Snake

America's Snake
Author: Ted Levin
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 508
Release: 2016-05-12
Genre: Science
ISBN: 022604078X

The acclaimed naturalist offers an in-depth profile of the timber rattlesnake, from its unique biological adaptations to its role in American history. The ominous rattle of the timber rattlesnake is one of the most famous—and terrifying—sounds in nature. Today, they are found in thirty-one states and many major cities. Yet most Americans have never seen a timber rattler, and only know them from movies or our frightened imaginations. Ted Levin aims to change that with America’s Snake. This portrait of the timber rattler explores its significance in American frontier history, and sheds light on the heroic efforts to protect the species against habitat loss, climate change, and the human tendency to kill what we fear. Taking us from labs where the secrets of the snake’s evolutionary adaptations are being unlocked to far-flung habitats that are protected by dedicated herpetologists, Levin paints a picture of a fascinating creature: peaceable, social, long-lived, and, despite our phobias, not inclined to bite. The timber rattler emerges here as an emblem of America, but also of the struggles involved in protecting the natural world. A wonderful mix of natural history, travel writing, and exemplary journalism, America’s Snake is loaded with remarkable characters—none more so than the snake itself: frightening, fascinating, and unforgettable. A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title Award-winner

Snakes in American Culture

Snakes in American Culture
Author: Jesse C. Donahue
Publisher: McFarland
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2019-01-25
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 147663453X

The literature on snakes is manifold but overwhelmingly centered on the natural sciences. Little has been published about them in the fields of popular culture or the history of medicine. Focusing primarily on American culture and history from the 1800s, this study draws on a wide range of sources--including newspaper archives, medical journals, and archives from the Smithsonian Institute--to examine the complex relationship between snakes and humans.