HI Tweeters et al.:
First the OLD Bird Book:
Today 27 April 1999 marks the 65th Anniversary of the pulication of Roger
Tory Peterson's Field Guide to the Birds (Eastern). On 27 April 1934
Houghton Mifflin desided to chance publishing a new style bird book and
the rest is history. This book has been described as the most important
natural history book of this century and the one that started the modern
day conservation movement. But at the time Houghton Mifflin wasn't too
sure that it would sell and printed only 2000 copies. They sold out within
days or a few weeks depending on which source you believe. The second
printing was only 3000 which sold out quickly also. Houghton Mifflin ended
up doing 4 printings total before the book was revised in 1939. The
original Peterson guide was only 167 pages long, had only 4 color plates
and Peterson himself had to forgo royalties on the first 100 copies in
order to get the book published. So 65 years later we take the Peterson
Guide for granted, but just think what might have been if Houghton Mifflin
desided against publishing it, would the conservation movement be around
today? So HAppy 65th Anniversary!!!

THE NEW BIRD BOOK:
Just published is "The Bird Almanac" by David Bird (yes this is his real
name).It is published by Firefly Books (ISBN:1-55209-323-9)and costs$19.95
and is 460 pp..
The first 213 pages are a checklist to the birds of the World based on
various sources including Sibley and Monroe and Clements(1991). It is
a basic list with the English and scientific names,regional codes and Red
List(IUCN 1994) status codes. Then there is a section on various taxonomic
notes including a brief description of the differences between traditional
vs DNA studies.
Then there is a section on bird biology which includes the
following:Anatomy,Physiology,Reproducation, and mortality.
The last half of the book is about birding and birder with info. like:
History of Who's who in Bird biology and conservation,resources for
birders and ornithologists, tips on choosing binoculars, attractingbirds
to the backyard,and a glossary of bird-related terms, etc., etc..
Over all I think this is a nice little book if one needs a quick answer
to a bird/birding question.

Sincerely
Ian Paulsen
Bainbridge Is., WA
ipaulsen at linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us
"Rallidae all the way"