Customer Reviews

Naturalist's Mexico (Louise Lindsey Merrick Natural Environment)

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This is an absolutely wonderful book to read. The writing is fluid and the sense of discovery (and we are only talking about going back to the 1990s) is incredible. However, I would only recommend this book to people who are already naturalists as the point of the book is the finding/discovering/ and being a part of Mexico's natural history wonders. For example the author doesn't go into long flowery descriptions of the Lechuguilla plant, he puts it in its context as a part of the Chihuahuan desert. So for the true Naturalist who loves good natural history writing and have any interest in Mexico I fully recommend this book. Sure wish I could go with him on his trips though-I guess that's what this book is for.

Just to add a bit more (I just finished the book). This has been a lovely journey across Mexico. I wish I could travel with him on his many exhibitions across Mexico. What I really have liked about the book is that this is a fairly modern trek (80s through 90s) of a place many naturalists don't think about figuring they need to go further afield for an exotic trip into a natural world. He educates us along the way, even a biology teacher such as myself.He also chronicles the recent demise of Mexico's few remaining natural places.

My only complaint, and it is fairly minor, is that this book is really the approach of an Ornithologist. Undoubtedly Mexico's avian fauna is the main draw for many visiting naturalists. But it would have been nice to include more herp fauna (reptiles and amphibians) as well. Even his botanical approach tends to be that of an ornithologist. He has a few references to mammals in the book, but that seems to be more the lack of mammals than anything else.

I was actually sorry to leave this book. Most other similar books are really more 19th century, it's nice to feel that a naturalist might be able to follow the recommendations and discover at least part of what he saw. A wonderful book for a true naturalist.

Roland H. Wauer is Indiana Jones of the naturalists