This Ground-Breaking Work Explores In Detail India'S Sexual Fantasies And Ideals, The Unlit Stage Of Desire Where So Much Of Our Inner Theatre Takes Place . Kakar'S Sources Are Textual In The Main, Celebrating The Primacy Of The Story In Indian Life.

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.

A sequel to The Lucy Effect (AuthorHouse 2015), The Starling's Magic finds Paddy Lieber, a freewheeling Liverpudlian entrepreneur in the beautiful city of 1927 Leningrad - where he becomes the subject of a hoax. The theft of a painting from the Hermitage museum, The Leningrad Starling, a revered icon considered to have healing powers, is pinned on Paddy and he is used by high- ranking Soviet officials as a pawn in their corrupt game of political and financial intrigue. Is there magic in the air for those caught up in the dramatic events? Random incidents lead to catastrophic consequences for some, but for others it's new found joy. How much is an external magic part of this as opposed to the individual's perception of events, or are they one and the same? The Starling's Magic is a fast-moving tale with twists and turns. Will Hahyoo, tasked with security at Lieber Enterprises and others get to the bottom of the scam and manage to free Paddy before darker forces in Leningrad close in and make it impossible? Lightened and spiced with the wit and humour of Paddy and his secret lover, the novel is about the love, passion, goodness and courage of ordinary people - Russian, Irish, Chinese, German and English - transcending systems of control and evil. The Starling's Magic is a story for our troubled times.

A detailed examination of all aspects of parrots from behavior to their conservation. Parrots' colour and charisma, coupled with the fact that they mimic human speech, make them fascinating to many people. They are ancient birds with unique bill and foot structures that enable them to forage on fruits in the canopy of forest trees as well as on seeds in grasslands. Because they depend on fruits and seeds all year round, most species are confined to the tropics or sub-tropics, where the world's biodiversity is at its greatest. There are over three hundred species of parrots, of which more than one hundred are recognised as rare, endangered, vulnerable or threatened with extinction. Parrots are largely distributed in tropical areas of developing countries where economies are weak and uncertain, and where there is great dependence on the exploitation of natural resources, particularly hard wood evergreen forests, which are preferred parrot habitats. Unfortunately, high levels of corruption are common to these regions, with much illegal trade in animals and little or no law enforcement. Collectors of parrots in the first world pay huge sums for rare parrots. However, research, education and conservation actions are greatly reducing illegal trade in African parrots. This book provides complete coverage of all aspects of the biology of extant African, Malagasy and Mascarene parrots, and reviews our knowledge of extinct and fossil parrots from the region. Particular themes include the behavioural and ecological characteristics of parrots, their species characteristics and conservation biology. Current concepts in avian and conservation biology are also discussed. Parrots of Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands is aimed at ornithologists, conservation biologists, avian ecologists, academics, bird watchers and parrot fans alike. It is well illustrated, with high quality original photographs, and includes distribution maps, figures and tables.