Flamingo's Smile...Author: Stephen Jay Gould and similar items

Format: Paperback; ISBN: 0393303756; Release Date: Jan 1987; Publisher: W. W. Norton Company, Inc.; Length: 476 pages. Condition: Acceptable. From private collection, NOT a former library copy. Front of cover has a couple of creases and some sticker residue. Binding is creased. Book is slightly slanted in shape. First page has bookstore stamp and some other pages have pen markings and highlighting. Same cover design as shown. Synopsis: Before Darwinism was generally accepted, the natural world was thought to be structured according to the "chain of being". Evolutionary theories have revolutionized this imperialistic view, and the process we now know as natural selection explains a great many mysteries to us. One such enigma is the flamingo's "smile", which is a perfect example of the way in which function (in this case, feeding in saline lakes) and form (the inverted beak that enables the flamingo to feed more successfully) are inseparable. The 31 essays in this collection share the theme of "quirkiness and meaning" and explore the idea that natural oddities - the snail that changes sex, the jellyfish that feeds upside down - are extraordinary for a vital reason: they have found their evolutionary niche. Priority Mail delivery for this item costs $13.00 at the request of a buyer. Otherwise, the shipping rate given here applies to orders shipped via Media Mail within the U.S. only. Orders comprised of multiple purchases packaged together ship by either of these delivery methods at a discounted rate, usually for only $1.00 per additional item plus the shipping fee for the first item (determined to be the one with the highest delivery charge). Sorry, no international shipping options are available at this time. Payment is expected within two weeks of placing your order for the first item within a shipment. Paypal is preferred, but money orders and checks (either personal or cashier's) are also accepted. Orders typically ship within 48 hours of PROCESSED payment, excluding weekends and holidays. Inquiries from all shoppers are responded to promptly and courteously. Buyers are encouraged to ask questions prior to placing orders, as all sales are final unless the product you receive differs significantly from that which was advertised here in terms of either the product itself or its promised condition. In other words, "buyer's remorse" does not qualify for a refund. Exceptions are made only in the event that a buyer is willing to return at his or her own expense an unopened, BRAND NEW item for a refund of the original purchase price only. No original shipping costs will be refunded, unless we are at fault for sending you the wrong item or misrepresenting the product and/or its condition. This hasn?t happened yet, but if it does: you are guaranteed a refund of the purchase price, the original shipping fee, PLUS the cost to ship the item back. In addition, we promise that no retaliatory feedback will be left for negative comments received on such transactions. We stand behind our service, and accept responsibility for any mistakes made. Thank you for looking!