I went in on Saturday and purchased my copy at Flora and Fauna. I think its
a great revision. (Amazing that it is only .95 more than the 2nd edition.)
Yes, the plates are much better. Colors are great. On my first quick look
there seems to be a lot of attention paid to sub-species. It is almost as
if you can see where the material for the 4th edition will come from. In
ten years or so. I think its a tribute to the attention to detail, and the
dedication of all the birdwatchers throughout the world.
On the same day I also purchased Alvaro Jaramillo's new book, New World
Blackbirds. From Princton University Press. An amazing book. Very much
worth the 49.00. (Don't tell my wife) Alvaro has been studying the
Icteridae family for a long time and I really appreciate his efforts.
Finally there is a book that shows some of the variation in female
Red-winged Blackbirds. Great book. I ran out of the store before I saw
anything else that I had to have.

Jim Rosso

At 02:02 PM 5/10/99 -0700, ian paulsen wrote:
>HI Tweeters:
> I got a call from Dave Hutchinson of Flora and Fauna Books that he too
>has the new 3rd edition of the NGS Field Guide incase anyone has
>backordered it from him.
> FYI, the new edition of the NGS has added 80 new species with 35 new
>plates (I like the new Loon plates alot)for a total of 480 pp(vs. 464 pp.
>in the 2nd). The range maps are new and easier to read(new colors)and the
>text has been subdivided so it is easier to read. Over all a vast
>improvement over the 2nd.
>Sincerely
>
>Ian Paulsen
>Bainbridge Is., WA
>ipaulsen at linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us
>"Rallidae all the way"
>
Jim Rosso
Issaquah, Washington
425-392-8440
jrosso at mediaseek.com