The author is a man with much experience in nature. Not only
professionally, but also as a person he is still very interes-
ted in the habits and the reasons for that of living beings
from nature. During many years Bernhard Sch„ffner was involved
with the "Project Ecological and Economical Significance of
Birds" of Stichting Mondiaal Alternatief. His advices are
characterized by mainly two elements:
- respect for the interests of nature, and
- respect for the interests of man.

The concrete shape of this view recurs in this highly interes-
ting ecoscript. The thirty short stories are for a large part
anecdotal, based on perceptions of the author in nature and in
his own backgarden. The stories contain lessons for all per-
sons who may be interested and persons who might be interes-
ted. It teaches us all that nature is not only to be found in
the countryside or in the woods but that it is all around us.
Citygardens contain a lot of life if you know how and where to
look.

The stories are illustrated with interesting sketches.


CONTENTS:

Introduction, a "wildgarden" full of live (Inleiding,
een wildtuin vol leven) 8
Manure of carnivorous animals, better said the manure
of predators, THE remedy against cats (Roofdierenmest,
of liever mest van predatoren, HET middel tegen katten 10
Blackbird romance (Merelroman) 11
Starlings (Spreeuwen) 14
Paul the Carrion-Crow (Paulus de Zwarte Kraai) 16
John Pellet-shot the Rook (Jan Hagel de Roek) 19
Sparrows and other small flying "rabble" (mussen en
ander klein vliegend tuig) 21
Owls and other bigger birds (Uilen en andere grote
vogels) 25
Looking for Adrian (op zoek naar Adriaan) 27
The Witchpool (Het Heksenkolkje) 29
Unk the Toad (Unk de Pad) 32
Insects, indestructible (Insekten, niet kapot te
krijgen) 34
Bumble-bees (hommels) 36
Ants (Mieren) 37
Wasps, heavenly armed, able-bodied troops (Wespen,
zwaar bewapend weerbaar volk) 39
Dad keeps bees (Pa houdt bijen) 40
The Frog-hopper (Het schuimbeestje) 42
Butterflies, the last of the Mohicans (Vlinders, de
laatste der Mohikanan) 43
Coleoptera 45
Spiders, horrid fellows from a nightmare (Spinnen,
griezels uit een nachtmerrie) 47
Gallnuts, a complicated case (Gallen, een
ingewikkelde zaak) 50
How to act in case of snails and snail-pests (Hoe te
handelen in geval van slakken en slakkenplagen) 52
Earthworms and their nightly love-life (Regenwormen
en hun nachtelijk liefdesleven) 55
About droppings and tracking (Over uitwerpselen en
spoorzoeken) 57
Sow-bugs, always looking for the right spot
(Pissebedden, altijd op zoek naar de juiste plek) 58
Centipedes, Earwurms and Bean-beetles: remarkable
guests (Duizendpoten, oorwurmen en bonenkevertjes:
wonderlijke gasten) 60
Shrewmice: Mice that are not mice (Spitsmuizen,
muizen die geen muizen zijn) 62
Bats (Vleermuizen) 63
Hedgehogs (Egels) 64
To conclude: Wild Geese (Tot besluit: Wilde Ganzen) 65