Book Description

"The World of Plankton, the first part of Sir Alister Hardy's distinguished two-book study of marine biology, dealt with the vast swarms of microscopic organisms that inhabit the open sea and provide the fundamental food supply of the oceans. It described a little-known world of strange fascination and great importance, for plankton exert a basic influence on the natural history of the sea. The quotations on the back of this jacket are indicative of the enthusiasm with which the volume was received. In his new book the author turns to the fish and other animals - including whales, turtles, and creatures of the sea floor - that depend directly or indirectly on plankton for food. This is more familiar ground for most readers, but the author soon ventures once again into little-explored realms. After a compelling exposition of the history and habits of fishes in general, he introduces the latest scientific discoveries about the life of important commercial species, such as herring, cod, and plaice. In an admirable blend of the theoretical and practical, he gives us a clear picture of the natural history of fish, refreshed with an up-to-date analysis of its implications for the commercial fishing industry. Particularly absorbing are his chapters on fish parasites and the problem of over-fishing. In a more speculative vein, he does not fear to pursue the sea serpent and the possibility that Eskimos in kayaks may have successfully navigated from Greenland to Britain. The concluding chapter, "The Ecologists and the Future," is a fitting culmination to this masterly study of the natural history of the sea. It shows that we, as ransackers of the oceans (to use the old Norse word for research), are just at the beginning of a new age of discovery, just at the start of the proper appreciation, identification, and classification of the life teeming over two-thirds of the earth's surface. Dedicated biologists are pushing into the unknown and enlarging our organized knowledge, but for generations to come there will still be much to do in this challenging field of science. Like its companion volume, this book is intended both for the serious student of marine biology and for the inquiring amateur. It is copiously illustrated with watercolor drawings by the author and with many photographs, line drawings, and maps." --