The Darkness is Light Enough: The Field Journal of a Night Naturalist.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn but price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated,pale beige background with owl,fox and badger portrait black line illustration artwork by Bill Geldart, illustrated front panel of dw/dj with black+brown lettering,rear panel with monochrome photograph with journal extract; with negligible shelf-wear or creasing to edges and corners - no major nicks or tears present.Head of spine/backstrip of dw/dj with minimal creasing and light chipping and rubbing.Top+fore-edges bright and clean without any foxing/spotting or thumbing marks; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners, appears unread - apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean, sharp-cornered,publisher's original plain tan cloth boards with bright, crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip,and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,v-ixpp+1-373pp [paginated] includes a foreword by Ernest Neal,author's introduction,journal extracts (from November 1980 to March 1985) accompanied with either b/w line illustrations by Bill Gelgart and b/w photograph vignettes,an index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages.
This remarkable journal was not intended for others to read,but kept as a record of the place Chris Ferris has come to call her own.Twenty years ago,she damaged her back and,finding that she couldn't sleep for more than a few hours at a time,used to walk in the woods and fields around her home to ease the pain.It was then that she saw animals and birds going about their lives in ways that she had never dreamed of,and these notes record the fascinating details of the animals observed at incredibly close quarters.
As the years passed,Chris became completely intrigued by the local badgers until,in response,they accepted her 'as one of their own'.She spent much of her time compiling a tawny owl census and foxes too fascinated her.Trailing them,she both learned every inch of her area and achieved excellent night vision.
But the animals are under constant threat and this astonishing journal tells of the unbelieveable lengths that people will go to in order to capture alive a badger or fox - and a live badger will fetch a good price for 'sport'.Chris Ferris has decided to publish these extracts from the journal - covering the period from November 1980 to March 1985 - for two reasons.First,to show that badgers,with their individual habits,are well worth protecting and,second,to demonstrate that even with all the help she receives from the local farmers,police and RSPCA inspectors, it is well-nigh impossible to protect the badgers as the law now stands. Chris Ferris's journal will astonish everyone who believes that nothing but animals and birds move around the woods after dark; it will also intrigue everyone who has a deep love of nature. Please contact rpaxtonden@blueyonder.co.uk ,because of the weight/value of this item for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.