George MacGinitie was born and raised in the pioneer community of Lynch, Nebraska, where he learned the habits of the abundant life of the region.
After obtaining an AB degree in education at Fresno State College, he taught a year in a junior high school and then joined the faculty at Fresno State. He later received an MA degree in biology from Stanford University.
In 1928 he joined the Stanford University faculty, becoming assistant professor in 1929.
George first met Nettie in 1925 in a tidepool while attending summer session at the Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. They have worked together as marine biologists since their marriage in 1927. The have one son, Walter Harold.
Nettie was raised on a farm in Western Oregon, where she learned to observe and love animals. In 1924 she received a BS degree in education from Oregon State College. During the next two years she taught half time in the biology department there while obtaining an MS degree in life sciences.
George, from 1932 to 1957, served as Director of Kerckhoff Marine Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology. After he retired as Professor Emeritus, Nettie took charge of the laboratory for two years.
Between 1948 and 1950, George was loaned to the Office of Naval Research and served as Scientific Director of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory at Point Barrow, Alaska. He and Nettie, a research associates, made a survey of marine invertebrates on the ocean floor off Point Barrow, discovering how the animals live during winter. They also found animals that had never been described.
In 1949 the published NATURAL HISTORY OF MARINE ANIMALS (McGraw-Hill), second edition, 1968. They have both published scientific books and papers on marine animals and in 1957 they photographed marine invertebrates for Walt Disney.
George and Nettie organized a marine biology program for the Navy, at the Naval Missiel Center at Point Mugu, California, between 1962 and 1964.
In 1972 George puglished a book THE NOT SO GAY NINETIES, depicting his boyhood in Nebraska. The couple continue to live near to nature on San Juan Island in Washington State.
This book is actually a limited natural history of a number of interesting animals. It can be thought of as an introduction to animals for young children, though the accounts should be of interest to adults. We have found that children like answers to the following questions about animals: 1. Where do they live? 2. How large are they? 3. What do they eat? 4. What are their enemies? 5. What about their young? These questions have been answered for most of the animals.
Sixty vertebrate animals are treated. These include members of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Most of them can be seen at any large zoo. The text accompanying each animal is as accurate as it is possible to make it and should serve as an introduction to further study of natural history.
It is hoped that at first this book will be read by parent and child together. The glossary is for the use of parents and older children.
Nearly all biological statements as applied to animals have exceptions. For example, we that a mare give birth to only one colt at a time but in rare instances twin colts are born. Variation among animals is one of the things that makes them so interesting.
The verses that accompany the animals described were composed by the senior author as entertainmnet for his son when he was small and were sung to him as he was rocked to sleep.
HE SAW THE ANIMALS LARGE AND SMALL,
HE SAW THE ANIMALS SHORT AND TALL;
THE DEER, AND THE BEAR, AND THE KANGAROO,
A LION, AND A TIGER, AND ELEPHANT, TOO.
....
NOW DON'T YOU THINK THAT TO ANYONE,
A HUNT OF THIS KIND WOULD BE GREAT FUN;
TO SEE ALL OF THESE CREATURES AND MANY MORE,
TO SEE ALL OF THESE CREATURES AND MANY MORE,
TO SEE A BIG LION AND HEAR HIM ROAR?
NOW IF YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE SUCH A TRIP,
JUST LISTEN TO ME AND I'LL GIVE YOU A TIP;
FOR YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THESE ANIMALS, TOO,
AS WALTER HAROLD SAW THEM AT THE ZOO.
