The Living Animals of the World, Volume 1 (of 2) / A Popular Natural History

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

60000

Title

The Living Animals of the World, Volume 1 (of 2) / A Popular Natural History

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This comprehensive volume offers an engaging popular natural history of mammals, featuring authentic anecdotes and over 500 illustrations. Authored by C. J. Cornish with contributions from renowned experts like Selous and Johnston, it explores apes, cats, carnivores, ungulates, and unique marsupials. Richly detailed with photographic evidence, the text captures the beauty and behavior of global fauna, appealing to both scientists and nature enthusiasts.

Summary up to 500 words

The Living Animals of the World, Volume I, edited by C. J. Cornish and featuring contributions from renowned naturalists such as Sir Harry Johnston, F. C. Selous, and H. A. Bryden, offers a comprehensive survey of mammals across diverse global habitats. Structured into twenty-two chapters, the volume explores major groups ranging from apes and felines to marine carnivores, elephants, rhinos, and marsupials. The text masterfully blends rigorous scientific observation with vivid storytelling, frequently citing specific specimens photographed by Ottomar Anschütz or York & Son to illustrate physical characteristics, behaviors, and habitats. The work highlights the unique evolutionary forms of the animal kingdom, providing detailed accounts of species such as the greater kudu, sitatunga, eland, and giraffe. It documents the devastating impact of human persecution and disease, notably rinderpest, which decimated populations of magnificent antelopes by 1896. Special attention is given to Australia's unique monotremes: the egg-laying platypus and echidna. The author details their reproductive strategies, noting that the female echidna carries eggs in a pouch, while the platypus constructs burrows for its young. Distinctive adaptations are emphasized, such as the platypus's webbed feet, duck-like beak, and venomous spurs on male hind legs. Throughout the volume, the author emphasizes conservation concerns, lamenting how human activity has reduced numbers of species like the inyala and eland. Through detailed descriptions of coat patterns, horn structures, and feeding habits, the book serves as both an educational reference and a celebration of biodiversity. Grounded in field experience and photographic documentation, the text captures the essence of beasts from African savannas to Australian swamps, preserving a snapshot of natural history at the turn of the twentieth century before many species faced extinction or drastic population decline.

LLM editorial rating

4.5/5

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https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60000.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg60000.epub

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2026-08-21 19:32 UTC

Categories

• Science