The Splendor of Iridescence : Structural Colors in the Animal World

green, dec. cloth, dust jacket, 268 pages : illustrations (some color).CONTENTS: Part One: The anatomy of structural colors The ABC of light and color,A history of color,The mechanics of iridescence,Part Two: The beauty of iridescence,Iridescent colors in the animal world,The bird of Juno: the Peacock,The bird of Quetzalcoatl: the Quetzal,Flying jewels: Hummingbirds The nectareaters: Sunbirds,The Madagascan marvel: Urania moths The blue butterflies: Morphoes,The gold bugs: Iridescent beetles.A remarkable aspect of this book is its combination of art and science. The author, an accomplished professional artist in the field of natural history, particularly in drawings of birds and insects, is the daughter of a scientist who specialized in optics and was an authority on light interference, the optical phenomenon which plays an important role here. It was this background which enabled the author to approach the subject in a refreshingly original way. What makes a blue bird blue? top edge of d.j. has small chips and tears.in protective mylar jacket. Size: 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall.…