Learn about the wonders of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair in this fascinating and readable book. The most comprehensive reference source available about the lakes, Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair Handbook is an ideal guide for anglers, boaters, swimmers, beach walkers—anyone who uses and enjoys the lakes. The handbook explains, in simple terms, the reasons for the scenic beauty and the natural events that occur in the coastal and offshore waters of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair, including the St. Clair, Detroit, and Niagara rivers extending from Sarnia, Ontario, to Niagara-on-the-Lake, New York. Individual chapters focus on the land, air, water, and life forms that comprise the natural history and environment of the region—the shoreline topography, wind and weather patterns, water temperature cycles and water level changes, the ecology, and indigenous animal life. Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair Handbook enhances our understanding and appreciation of the lakes and their surroundings by addressing fundamental questions about the Lake Erie region: • how Lake Erie was formed through glacial processes • why daily and seasonal weather patterns occur • causes of the water currents and waves • causes of temperature patterns in the lakes • the location of productive reef features • the species of fish and birds found in the area • the importance of the wetlands • the effect of current and past pollution on the aquatic life in the lakes

Pollinators-insects, birds, bats, and other animals that carry pollen from the male to the female parts of flowers for plant reproduction-are an essential part of natural and agricultural ecosystems throughout North America. For example, most fruit, vegetable, and seed crops and some crops that provide fiber, drugs, and fuel depend on animals for pollination. This report provides evidence for the decline of some pollinator species in North America, including America's most important managed pollinator, the honey bee, as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds. For most managed and wild pollinator species, however, population trends have not been assessed because populations have not been monitored over time. In addition, for wild species with demonstrated declines, it is often difficult to determine the causes or consequences of their decline. This report outlines priorities for research and monitoring that are needed to improve information on the status of pollinators and establishes a framework for conservation and restoration of pollinator species and communities.

The Stocking Book navigates the history of stockings from their invention until their present day use and explores the astonishing variety of stockings from the eighteenth century to the present, the way great painters depicted them, the way illustrators and cartoonists made use of them, the way advertisements presented them, and the way they have developed. Complete with full-colored illustrations and cultural commentary, this book provides a delightful history of the stocking and what has made it so classic, so provocative, and so irresistible throughout the ages.