Fungi introduces you to 75 fascinating fungi from around the world.

Introduces over four hundred different gemstone specimens, with descriptions, identification tips, and classification information for each stone.

Compact and easy-to-use, Nature Guide: Gems provides a thorough introduction and detailed, clearly illustrated profiles of hundreds of examples of precious metals, cut stones, and organics. This Smithsonian guide is packed with stunning photography and key information provided by expert contributors. Nature Guide: Gems is carefully structured, with catalog entries organized into easily understood groups that the newcomer will have no difficulty in navigating and the more experienced reader will appreciate.

Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones provides both the connoisseur and the casual collector with a compact, easy-to-use volume describing more than 100 rare varieties of minerals whose beauty and mystery have possessed our imaginations from time immemorial. More than 450 brilliant photographs accompany profiles of each gem, covering such aspects as appearance, physical properties -- density, hardness, refraction -- occurrence, and how to judge quality and value. Additional sections describe the process of cutting gemstones and the techniques professional gemologists use to evaluate a stone's weight and optical properties. Detailed and comprehensive, this book is essential for anyone interested in the study of gems and precious stones.

Birds is a beautiful introduction to 75 diverse species of birds, filled full of facts on biology and lifestyle, as well as stunning illustrations. Birds are some of the most colourful and melodious creatures in nature, from the backyard birds we see and hear every day to the rare species we might never catch a glimpse of. Living in every type of habitat on every continent, their diversity is vast, and their lifestyles are just as varied, from penguins that manage avian creches in the Antarctic, to jacanas that appear to walk on water, and flamingos that can live for 40 years. Here are 75 examples of birds from around the world, each shown in a beautifully coloured natural history engraving. From seabirds to songbirds, birds of prey to wetland geese, each species here has a story to share about how it lives and breeds. With information about courtship displays, breeding strategies, nesting habits and egg types, Birds is a handy guide to their lifestyles, habitats, plumage, and anything else you could possibly need to know.

Prepare to be dazzled by this shining and sumptuous visual guide to the world's greatest treasures. Feast your eyes on glittering gemstones, kaleidoscopic minerals, and famous trinkets in this comprehensive exploration of Earth's finest jewels. Following a foreword from Aja Raden, hundreds of pages take a lavish look at precious stones, precious metals, and organic gems in all their natural wonder. From agate to zoisite, everything under the Sun is encapsulated in spectacular photography and accessible text. Trace the history of gemmology and get the inside story on our planet's most famous and fabulous gems, including the mysterious Hope Diamond, the stunning Koh-i-Noor of the Crown Jewels, and exquisite Fabergé eggs. Find out their physical properties, check the price tags, and discover the most remarkable record-breakers. This exceptionally extravagant book is a picture-packed, fact-filled celebration guaranteed to bring sparkle to your life and your library.

A guide to the identification, structure, and uses of precious and semi-precious stones, novelty stones, agates, and crystals.