New Lizards

Not one but FOUR new lizard species discovered in California! “Throughout the history of lizard evolution, several lizard lineages have lost their legs, James Parham of Cal State Fullerton said. Snakes are the best-known and most diverse of these lineages, but more than 200 other types of limbless lizards exist throughout the world. “In California, …

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Music Lessons

Q loves rock and country, but Libby and I were brought up on classical and love it too. Both she and Jackson can play well; to my eternal regret I never learned. We liked this essay in defense of obligatory lessons for the young, written in response to one against the idea. “I do think …

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Speaking of pretty guns…

Andrew, using my former Grant, has a great day in the field. “It’s taken dumber birds already, but the Grant got its first wild birds today — and in style, limiting out on sharptail on our first day out. “It was a rough day with winds gusting well over 20mph.  Despite being on private land …

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Words Fail

Is this not the most grotesque plutocrat’s rifle you have ever seen? And all for only Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand Euros! Click on all to enlarge, especially the last… (HT Jonathan Hanson) Wouldn’t you prefer these?  Or even these?

Quote

“I am not a huge fan of Rimbaud’s work, though I respect him for dropping it all and becoming a coffee trader and arms dealer in north Africa.” (Micah Mattix)

Anthony Bourdain on Guns

Westerners and gun nuts alike will be pleased, as our favorite celebrity chef (and good writer) Anthony Bourdain pens a strong defense of gun ownership, and of our state as well. I’ll excerpt a bunch, but really, this is a classic Read the Whole Thing. Oh, and he is right on Green as chile of …

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Trouble coming: APHIS

A  few weeks ago the Sportsman’s andAnimal Owners Alliance warned us that, despite the efforts and concerns expressed, literally for years, by small breeders, APHIS was coming. They listed these points of concern: “Can hunting dog kennel owners sell pets? Can breeders ship sight-unseen where relationships have been well established ? Can litters be whelped …

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Eagle versus Deer

This is pretty cool: a camera trap in Primorye, set to observe Amur (“Siberian”) tigers, caught a golden eagle in the act of killing a sika deer. Knowing of my interest, Jonathan, Tim Gallagher, and Annie Hocker all sent notice. But I am grumpy about the text, especially two statements, “”rabbits—their regular prey—” Not really; …

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Baby Lizards 1

The heavier and later local rains have led to lush greenery and a profusion of insects (the only one in 30 years I have been bothered by mosquitos here); as well as their predators. I had never before see the babies of the abundant local fence lizard (Sceloporus), as well as the more ground- dwelling …

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