Galapagos: World's End

About this book

"Galpagos is a glorious book. It is high romance exact science fascinating history wild adventure."Nation The Galpagos Islands are famed for their remarkable wildlife including land and marine iguanas land tortoises four-eyed fish and flightless cormorants and albatross. In 1835 Charles Darwin observed variations among the islands species that inspired him to formulate the theory of natural selection. Eighty-eight years later in 1923 a scientific expedition sponsored by the New York Zoological Society followed in Darwins wake. Led by renowned biologist and explorer William Beebe the scientists visited the the islands to study and obtain specimens of indigenous plants and animals. This is Beebes personal account of that fascinating expedition. Combining rare literary skill with careful research Beebe produced an exceptionally readable volume replete with youthful enthusiasm a romantics awe before the mysteries of nature and a scientists passion for accurate description. He recounts the expeditions enormously productive results including specimens of 60 species previously unknown to science and an unparalleled accumulation of data that stimulated many scientific papers and new avenues of naturalistic inquiry. Beebes account is enhanced with more than 100 splendid illustrations selected from hundreds of paintings drawings and photographs by expedition members. A classic of popular science it is scientifically rigorous as well as exciting and accessible.