Living Jewels from the Indian Jungles is the third venture in the series of books, brought out by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS). Featured here are vintage paintings and also articles, excerpts, and notes on Indian natural history, discreetly culled from books, magazines, and journals – some of which go back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Encouraged by the success of their earlier books, Salim Ali’s India and Treasures of Indian Wildlife, the editors have put together a fresh selection of writings that will excite, edify, and even amuse the reader. While including some of the unique paintings of birds and mammals, the focus of the paintings, set out in this volume, is Himalayan wild flowers – veritably the classic works of art. The volume is meant to celebrate the 125th year BNHS’s existence.

Dr Ashok S. Kothari, a practising physician, is a senior member of BNHS and the long-serving Chairman of its Library Subcommittee. Dr Boman Chhapgar is a renowned marine biologist and natural historian.