There's nothing that sly troublemaker Sammy Jay likes better than stealing corn - unless it's playing tricks on the other animals in the forest. Yet Chatterer the Red Squirrel would like to keep his corn, thank you very much, and while he's at it prove he is just as smart as Sammy Jay! Thornton Burgess takes us once again into the charming world of the Green Forest and Green Meadows in this delightful story.

The Elements of Ornithology is one of seven in a Series of First Books of Natural History Prepared for the Use of Schools and Colleges. This succinct little textbook from 1845 presents an introduction to ornithology. The information, albeit not current, is still interesting and of use as a general overview of bird biology and classification. The author was a surgeon in the U.S. Navy and president of the Academy of Natural Sciences.

The value of the honey bee in cross pollinating the flowers of fruit trees makes it desirable that exact information be available concerning the actions of the bee when gathering and manipulating the pollen. The results recorded in this manuscript are also of value as studies in the behavior of the bee and will prove interesting and valuable to the bee keeper. The work here recorded was done by Dr. Casteel during the summers of 1911 and 1912.

Full of delightful fairy tales, charming poems and engaging stories, this is the fifth volume of the "My Bookhouse" series for little ones. Originally published in the 1920's as a six volume set, these books, edited by Olive Beaupre Miller, contained the best in children's literature, stories, poems and nursery rhymes. They progressed in difficulty through the different volumes. Note: Due to a numbering error, the audio introductions do not say "Section 6" but jump from 5 to 7. There is no text missing.

"I was only a little baby song-sparrow, and from the moment I came out of my shell everybody knew there was something the matter with me." So starts the short story of Scraggles, a young sparrow who came to be rescued and nurtured by a human family, as told in Scraggles "own words". Listeners are forewarned the ending chapters of Scraggles may be disturbing to some of our younger listeners. A special note from the Reader - if you would like to see the pictures of Scraggles that are mentioned in the book, please visit the Project Gutenberg link for the text.

Chatterer the Red Squirrel finds himself in trouble again and is forced to abandon his old home. As the search for a new home begins, Chatterer's curiosity gets the better of him and a moment of carelessness causes him to stumble into a far different home than he ever imagined. This book is Thornton W. Burgess at his best as he captures the personalities and behaviors of the animals in the Green Forest delightfully well and tells a story of mischievousness and unexpected friendship.

Lad: A Dog is a 1919 American novel written by Albert Payson Terhune and published by E. P. Dutton. Composed of twelve short stories first published in magazines, the novel is based on the life of Terhune's real-life rough collie, Lad. Born in 1902, the real-life Lad was an unregistered collie of unknown lineage originally owned by Terhune's father. Lad's death in 1918 was mourned by many of the story's fans, particularly children.

Taken from Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes, Switzerland and Austria: Vol. XVI, edited by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

This book is written from the horse's point of view, much as Black Beauty was. Indeed, it is intended to be a companion book to Black Beauty, filling in more background as seen by the horse. The title is actually White Dandy or Master and I: A Horse's Story. What do horses talk about among themselves? Do they have personalities, some dour and unhappy others buoyant and upbeat just as we humans do? Do horses anticipate good times and fear bad owners? Well, if you listen to a chapter or two of this book you will have a delightful glimpse into a horse's life and thoughts.

A collection of seven tales about cats. Caution: Some of these tales have very sad endings.

This delightful story is the tale of young Balser Brent, who has a knack for running into bears. Usually the bears come out of the interaction worse than the feisty and brave Balser. A great story for both boys and girls who enjoy adventure and excitement.

Thorton Burgess gives us a collection of stories about the animals, explaining 'when' they got their peculiar traits. As usual the stories are short and delightfully written so as to be enjoyed by child or adult. Have you ever wondered when Mr. Bluebird got his beautiful coat? or when Bob-White won his name? or Old Mr. Bat got his wings:? well these stories explain how they all happened along with many,many more.

Joaquin Miller dedicated this book to "my dear little daughter...for whose pleasure and instruction I have many times dug up the most of these stories from out the days of my boyhood." In his preface he claims to prefer true stories to made-up ones. And he always defends bears, which he thinks have gotten an undeserved bad reputation from the general populous. Miller strives here to pass on a respect for the variety and wisdom in the lives of real bears. But perhaps we should offer one caution: throughout his life Joaquin Miller gained a reputation for being a supreme liar!

This is the story of Peter Rabbit, a mischievous, but cautious, lagomorph who lives in the Green Meadows. Peter Rabbit begins his adventures with a quest for a new name, since his name is far too common for his taste. Having a new name is not quite what he thought it would be, however, and soon he is on to new exploits like outsmarting Reddy Fox and discovering where all his friends spend the winter. This tale co-stars Reddy Fox, Jerry Muskrat, Unc' Billy Possum, Jimmy Skunk, Ol' Mistah Buzzard, Bowser the Hound, and many more of Thornton W. Burgess' delightful characters.

The Adventures of Old Man Coyote is another in the long list of children's books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, the residents of The Green Pasture and The Green Forest are concerned about a strange newcomer, Old Man Coyote. Old Many Coyote matches wits with Old Granny Fox and has encounters with Reddy Fox and Peter Rabbit, and a particularly sharp confrontation with Prickly Porky.

Librivox volunteers bring you eleven readings of My Doves, by Louisa May Alcott. This was the fortnightly poem for December 21, 2014 - January 4, 2015

Over a cold winter, Toto and several animal friends (who can talk!) spend cozy evenings by the fire listening to his grandmother tell fantastical stories from around the world.

The Adventures of Bob White is another in the long line of children's books by conservationist Thornton W. Burgess. In this book, Bob White and Mrs. Bob White make a new home near the Old Briar Patch where they become neighbors with Peter Rabbit. We learn what Bob White likes to eat, how he protects his nest from being discovered, and who his friends and his enemies are. We also learn that sometimes it's not good to know everything, that arithmetic can be a useful tool, and that a Bob White needs to stay far away from the two-legged creatures who carry fire-sticks.

The stories in South American Jungle Tales center on the relationships between people and the different creatures Quiroga came into contact with on his farm in Misiones, a region of jungle in Uruguay along the banks of the Upper Parana river. Each story quickly evolves into a fantastical realm where the various animals take on familiar human characteristics. These stories, of course, are a metaphor for how man interacts with nature. They are used to show how human beings are an integral part of a greater ecosystem; and can either chose to exploit it to his detriment, or to live in harmony within it.

Some Life Studies of Animal Instincts and Animal Training This is the third book in the Wood Folk series by William J. Long, where he masterfully recreates animal life studies he observed while in the woods. He writes of the secrets of animals and birds while using their lovely, Milicete Indian names, such as Meeko and Mooween.

William J. Long again introduces us to some of the Wood Folk and their stories of living based on his own observations in the woods. In this volume, Mooweesuk the Coon is called the bear's little brother because he so often resembles the "big prowler in the black coat." Also included are chapters on the woodcock, the wildcat, the toad, and many other animals. He likewise includes a chapter on "animal surgery" that describes some ways animals treat their wounds and a chapter on "Hunting without a Gun", which is based on following large animals and observing them. Long's books are great for children and adults alike!

The journal of British naturalist Bruce Frederick Cummings, spanning from his early childhood through to his early death from complications stemming from multiple sclerosis. The diary combines beautiful, lyrical passages concerning the natural world with more introspective ruminations reminiscent of Kafka. Although successful and scandalous upon their publication in 1919, interest in the diaries has faded along with public interest in naturalism and diary writing more generally. However, Cummings' work is very modern is its forthright confessional tone and contains some deeply moving pieces of writing not easily forgotten. - Summary by Adam Whybray

This is Vol. 4, No. 13, Serial No. 113 of The Mentor, published Aug 15, 1916. This edition of the Mentor Magazine is devoted to big game animals in North America. There is an emphasis on preservation of these animals and opposition to big game hunting as a sport. These include the Prong-Horned Antelope, Mountain Sheep, Mountain Goat, Caribou, Moose, Musk-Ox, Elk, and the American Bison. - Summary by Larry Wilson

It is a loss to American literature that so much of the legendary history of these Indian tribes has gone, beyond hope of recovery. Exquisite in color, poetical in feeling, these legends of sun, moon, and stars, of snow, ice, lightning, thunders, the winds, the life of the forest birds and animals about them, and the longing to understand the why and the how of life—all which we have only in fragments…. As in all the other volumes of this series, no effort has been made to ornament or amplify these legends in the effort to make them “literary,” or give them “literary charm...

The first book published by The Boone and Crockett Club founded by Theodore Roosevelt and George Grinnell, who declared in their Editors Note: "Hunting big game in the wilderness is, above all things, a sport for a vigorous and masterful people. The rifle-bearing hunter, whether he goes on foot or on horseback, whether he voyages in a canoe or travels with a dog-sled, must be sound of body and firm of mind, and must possess energy, resolution, manliness, self-reliance, and capacity for hardy self-help...

Another 'dog's-eye view' book for children by this early activist for the American Humane Society. In this tale, we follow the travels and adventures of Boy, a loveable and loyal wire-haired fox-terrier in city and country. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

These are the first two chapters of Natsume Sōseki's masterpiece, "I Am A Cat" . It is recognized as a landmark of modern Japanese literature, with its humorous but insightful depiction of society as seen through the eyes of a cat. The full work was published in serial form, in ten installments, in 1905-1906. Soon after, Kan-ichi Ando published an English translation of the first two chapters. Sadly, there is no translation of the full work in the public domain, but because of its episodic structure, this excerpt can easily stand on its own. - Summary by Peter Eastman

The myths in this 1911 volume are authentic. The original collections were made by government ethnologists. Only the quaintest and purest of the myths have been selected. The leading myth of the North the Raven Myth, is given with a fair degree of completeness. . These tribes are included: Eskimo , Tlingit , Tsetsaut, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Athapascan , Eskimo , Eskimo , Koyukun, and Koryak . - Summary by Author's Preface and david wales

A humorous book, hitting off the many writers who have returned to nature and made intimate friends in the Animal World. The author describes the super-human intelligence to be found by the discerning among our kindred of the wild. All those who love gentle humor will be entertained by the whimsical story of “Little Upsidaisi” and no reader can fail to laugh at the antics of “Jagg, The Skootaway Goat”.

The first volume published by the Boone and Crockett Club, entitled "American Big Game Hunting," confined itself to sport on the American continent. This second volume presents a number of interesting sketches written by club members who have hunted big game in other lands. Essays include: Hunting in East Africa, To the Gulf of Cortez, A Canadian Moose Hunt, A Hunting Trip in India, Dog Sledging in the North, Wolf-Hunting in Russia, A Bear-Hunt in the Sierras, The Ascent of Chief Mountain, The Cougar, Big Game of Mongolia and Tibet, Hunting in the Cattle Country, Wolf-Coursing, Game Laws, and Protection of the Yellowstone National Park. - Summary by Michele Fry

"In this engaging story, Bobby Raccoon suffers a series of mishaps. Following a bad dream, he bites his own tail, is given a dreadful fright, learns that Farmer Brown's Boy is a kind friend, survives an encounter with Buster Bear, gets a terrible shaking and more, but, happily, is rescued by Peter Rabbit and eventually finds a new home."

This is the 6th compilation of childrens bedtime stories by conservationist and newspaper columnist author Thornton Waldo Burgess. Burgess used his outdoor observations as plots for his stories. The stories involve his earlier developed characters such as Peter Rabbit, Sammy Jay and Grandfather Frog. - Summary by afutterer.

Author and editor of numerous children's books, Thornton W. Burgess was also a noted conservationist. In writing for youngsters he combined a gift for storytelling with his love of the outdoors, creating an entertaining menagerie of animals whose adventures he skillfully recounted in a series of charming fables. In them, he taught young readers about nature and encouraged them to love the "lesser folk in fur and feathers." In this delightfully told tale, Burgess chronicles the escapades of Chatterer the Red Squirrel, who's known throughout the Green Forest as a mischief maker...

During the later part of his life Hudson lived in southern England, where he was involved very early on with the RSPB . Birds and Man is a slow moving work where Hudson discusses his love of birds, and the need for better protection of them. - Summary by clarinetcarrot

These are the fantastic adventures of Galopoff, the talking pony, and his friends. Galopoff experiences some amazing adventures in Russia, meeting some famous people of his time, and joining a circus, until his story finally culminates in a great happy end. - Summary by Carolin

The trees, flowers, and animals of a peaceful pasture meet together to discuss and learn of theology. Summary by Scarlett Martin.

Chatterer the Red Squirrel finds himself in trouble again and is forced to abandon his old home. As the search for a new home begins, Chatterer's curiosity gets the better of him and a moment of carelessness causes him to stumble into a far different home than he ever imagined. This book is Thornton W. Burgess at his best as he captures the personalities and behaviors of the animals in the Green Forest delightfully well and tells a story of mischievousness and unexpected friendship. - Summary by Jill Engle

This is the story of Peter Rabbit, a mischievous, but cautious, lagomorph who lives in the Green Meadows. Peter Rabbit begins his adventures with a quest for a new name, since his name is far too common for his taste. Having a new name is not quite what he thought it would be, however, and soon he is on to new exploits like outsmarting Reddy Fox and discovering where all his friends spend the winter. This tale co-stars Reddy Fox, Jerry Muskrat, Unc' Billy Possum, Jimmy Skunk, Ol' Mistah Buzzard, Bowser the Hound, and many more of Thornton W. Burgess' delightful characters. - Summary by Jill Engle

Enos Mills , naturalist and conservationist, was instrumental in the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park. Like his mentor John Muir, Mills was an intrepid solitary high country rambler, as well as an accomplished Colorado mountain guide. There are mountain tales aplenty in "Adventures of a Nature Guide." At one point, Mills climbs Long's Peak alone in a gale with winds topping 170 mph., "carried away with the wild, elemental eloquence of the storm." Near the summit, the wind is so fierce he cannot make headway, so he concludes to "reverse ends...

Is Santa Claus real? Six year old Elinor thinks so as she sends her letter, and persuades her friend Bill to do likewise. On the other side of town, a stray kitten adopts a lonely bachelor. As the two worlds come together, the magic of Christmas is kept alive for all ages in this heart-warming tale.

Peggy the cat lives in the post office at R., and she's just had a litter of kittens. However, instead of snuggling up with them in the box prepared for her by the post officers, she prefers a corner in the cellar by the post bags. But oh noes, little Tommy falls into one of those bags and is shipped off to Connecticut with the Thanksgiving mail! Read of Tommy's adventures in this delightful little book. - Summary by Carolin

A fight in the Midwest leaves the dog's owner dead. He searches for a new friend and encounters Trading Jeff. Jeff is a traveling peddler. Beware, though, because life as a peddler isn't easy Join us for the adventures of Jeff and his dog in this delightful children's book. Summary by Adele de Pignerolles.

Here is a period piece, covering 47 breeds, about the early days of dog breeding, the birth of the American Kennel Club which firmly established breed standards, and the development of bench shows and field trials. Each article, written by a premier breed expert of the day, sheds light on how today's breeds were sculpted from the best traits of dogs of yesteryear. Old dog training theory and methods of treating disease are discussed. Editor Shields called this book “the grandest work on the dog ever published...

When the story of 'Tilda Jane appeared serially in The Youth's Companion in 1901, the original manuscript was very much condensed. When the time for book publication arrived nearly all the omitted matter was restored. However, some incidents were still left out, and they have formed the beginning of a new story written to please the many boys and girls who have expressed a wish to know something more of the fortunes of the orphan and her dogs.That the orphan's old friends will follow with interest, her often groping and stumbling, yet never-wearying steps along the path of uplift for human beings and dumb creatures, is the earnest hope of the author.

"Here are 150 nature myths and short stories from all parts of the World. They are the kind that children delight in -- tales of transformations of maidens into trees and fountains, of youths into flowers, and of men into birds. Blossoms, fragrance, and joy are the themes of many of these tales, while a few a tender, pathetic, or humorous." - Summary by Frances Jenkins Olcott

After poor health forced Klickmann to move from London to the country, she began writing a series of sketches for The Girl's Own Paper and in 1916 she published the first of a series of books based on them. Her cottage, known in her books as "Rosemary Cottage", had an idyllic country garden and spectacular views over the River Wye and Tintern Abbey. The book, The Flower-Patch Among the Hills, was highly successful; a reprint was needed after two weeks. In later years, she wrote six more Flower Patch books, the stories growing to involve her household and the local people, combining nature description, anecdote, autobiography, religion, and humour. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

The reader who follows these trails will find them leading into a new country, a land of space and silence where it is good to be, away up among the mountains and woods and salmon rivers and mossy barren grounds of Labrador and Newfoundland." Indeed, reading Long's keen observations about animals and their behavior transports the reader into a land of nature, space and silence. - Summary by William J. Long, from Preface, and kathrinee.

Uncle Wiggily Longears is the main character of a series of children's stories by American author Howard R. Garis. He began writing the stories for the Newark News in 1910. Garis penned an Uncle Wiggily story every day for more than 30 years, and published 79 books within the author's lifetime. -- Wikipedia Here are more of the adventures of this lovable old fortune-seeking gentleman rabbit who suffers from rheumatism.

This book is devoted to the study of invertebrate animals. While most people associate the word "animal" with fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, 90% of the animal species on earth are invertebrates, i.e., they have no backbone. Protozoans and invertebrate animals are found world-wide, from the bottom of the oceans to the the rain forests, ice caves, and our own back yards. Many invertebrates still reside in the oceans, while others dwell in our houses, back yards and gardens, in ponds and streams, and on the menus in seafood restaurants...

Tales of the fur traders and mountain men who explored Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and the Teton Mountain Range.

Gypsy is a particularly smart little dog, who knows a lot of tricks which he performed with his owner, a street artist. But one day, he is stolen from this owner and kidnapped, and brought aboard a ship to be transported away. Luckily he gets to meet Galopoff, the talking pony, on that ship, who helps him escape. A world of adventure opens to Gypsy, until he finds a good home. - Summary by Carolin

Cawein's poetry allied his love of nature with a devotion to earlier English and European literature, mythology, and classical allusion. - Summary by Wikipedia

Dogs are great, everyone knows that. And they can be heroes, too! This book brings together eleven dogs from around the world who have proven themselves heroes. - Summary by Carolin

This is the life story of a Black Bear in the western US, as told by the bear himself. He tells of the days when humans began to invade the territory where they and their ancestors had been kings for many eons. - Summary by philip chenevert

The story of Ker-Chunk, the frog, and his friends on the Long Pond. How he became known as the Rock-Frog and was called Judge Ker-Chunk, due to the wisdom he dispensed to the froglings who came and visited his rock. his encounters with the large frog Boom-a-Room, and his encounters with nature are all told in a story designed for the child in all of us. - Summary by DrPGould

Multi-volume work on science edited by Francis Rolt-Wheeler. The sixth volume is on Zoology written by Dr. WM. D. Matthew and on Botany written by Marion E. Latham. The section on Zoology examines the development, evolution and distribution of animals. It further discusses types of animals - invertebrates and vertebrates. The section on botany touched on early development of botany and delved on structures and reproduction of plants. Development of the study of morphology and plant cell anatomy and variations were also examined.

Snow Geese which left James Bay, Canada, arrived at the Louisiana Gulf coast "60 hours later after a continuous flight of over 1,700 miles at an average speed of 28 miles per hour." This is just one of the many intriguing facts about bird migration contained in this 1998 circular from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Informative and up-to-date chapters discuss flight speed and rate of migration, migration routes, and techniques for studying migration. A final chapter, Future Directions, concludes...

In 1908-1909, Mary Blair Beebe and her husband, C. William Beebe made two private expeditions to Venezuela and British Guiana, exploring and collecting live birds for the New York Zoological Park. They then collaborated on a book about their "search for a wilderness," with Mary Blair doing the bulk of the writing. The Beebe's supplemented tropical birding with visits to gold mines in British Guiana and a lake of pitch, which was being mined in the middle of the Venezuelan jungle. Mary Blair's take on things is evident...

This 1905 collection is of the author’s short animal stories, some previously published in magazines. - Summary by David Wales

Deputy Sheriff Tug Blackstock wanted a dog to help with his work. As for Jim, at first glance he might almost have been taken for a slim, young black bear rather than a dog. They were a pair, indeed, to strike the most stolid imagination, let alone the sensitive, brooding, watchful imagination of the backwoods. Plus three other stories. - Summary by Story text and David Wales