The Living Forest A World of Animals Author:Rien Poortvliet Rien Poortvliet is a famous Dutch artist and illustrator. A superb draftsman and colorist, he has another, even more enviable gift -- a singular rapport with animals. In the text and pictures of this book the artist and the naturalist speak with equal eloquence. — Living as he does in a rustic cottage, Poortvliet has long been a close... more » observer of the comings and goings of wild creatures. The had his favorites, and he presents them here in full coloc and entrancing deatial. Accompnaying the charming and sensitive drawing and paintings are essays and caption that express Poortvliet's special feeling for forest-dwelling animals. With gentle wit, unabashed love, and exceptional knowledge he explains the customs, habitats, physical features, and mating habits of boars, ducks, deer, rabbits, partidges, pheasants, and foxes (a special feature). As we meey Reynard the Fox, Poortvliet confides that his friend's reputation for shyness and cunning is greatly exaggerated. Rather, the fox is discovered to be "terribly cautious and suspicious!" Revelations about the duck are even more sensational: in regard to mallards we are told that "no female duck is safe when whe is outnumbered by a troop of drakes". « less