{"product_id":"9781851244096","title":"A Conspiracy of Ravens : A Compendium of Collective Nouns for Birds","description":"\u003ch3\u003eAuthor: Bill Oddie\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eLanguage: history \u0026amp; general works\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003ch5\u003ePublished on 12 September 2014 by Bodleian Library in the United Kingdom.\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHardback | 120 pages, 111 Illustrations, black and white\u003cbr\u003e128 x 178 x 14mm | 198g\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003chr\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘A murder of crows’, ‘a charm of goldfinches’, ‘an ostentation of peacocks’: collective nouns for British birds have existed since at least the mid fifteenth century. They are thought to originate in texts about hunting, but have since evolved into evocative, witty and literary expressions, each striving to capture the very essence of the animal they describe.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e  Some are portentous – ‘a conspiracy of ravens’ perfectly evokes this sinister bird – others convey sound, such as ‘a murmuration of starlings’ or ‘a chattering of choughs’. Yet more reflect with a flourish the beauty of the bird itself: what could be more celebratory than ‘a crown of kingfishers’, or ‘an exaltation of larks’?  The best of these imaginative expressions are collected here, illustrated with charming woodcuts by Thomas Bewick, the renowned naturalist engraver of the eighteenth century.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeaturing songbirds, aquatic birds, birds of prey and garden favourites, this beautifully presented book will delight both bird-lovers and word-lovers in equal measure.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bill Oddie","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57391010742597,"sku":"9781851244096","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0994\/3721\/6069\/files\/9781851244096.jpg?v=1773516549","url":"https:\/\/stripyduckbookshopcafe.co.uk\/products\/9781851244096","provider":"The Stripy Duck Bookshop Café","version":"1.0","type":"link"}