Discovered in 1837 in Guiana and named for the newly crowned Queen Victoria of England, Victoria regia – the enormous Amazonian water lily now known as Victoria amazonica – became the botanical obsession of Victorian England.
The Flower of Empire
Newly Noted Books
New and forthcoming books that are worthy of attention but that have not yet been fully reviewed.
A Sneak Peek into Witton’s New Pterosaurs
Not only is Princeton University Press about to release Mark Witton’s new book Pterosaurs: Natural History, Evolution, Anatomy later this month, they’re providing a free online sneak peek into the first chapter.
California Condors in the Pacific Northwest
Although now strongly identified with the southwestern U.S. deserts where the few remaining “wild” individuals can still be seen flying more-or-less free, the California Condor was once found as far north as British Columbia.
Concealing Coloration in Animals
As anyone who has ever been amazed by how well an underwing moth blends in with the bark of a tree upon which it has perched can well attest, some animals possess astonishingly effective concealing coloration. Some – but not all. Why?