RECENT PUBLICATIONS

A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Herbert A. Raffaele. 1983. Fondo Educativo Interamericano, San Juan. 5 p. Paper cover. $13.95. Source: Addison-Wesley Publishing Co., Inc., Jacob Way, Reading, MA 01867.

This book is a field guide and more, yet no larger than a standard field guide. Its opening chapters discuss the biogeography and conservation of the Puerto Rican and Virgin Island avifaunas, giving special attention to the many endangered species. There follows a section for rapid identification of birds: forty plates (24 in color) showing all the well-documented species found on these islands accompanied by brief descriptions of the field marks on the facing pages. The illustrations have been well executed by Cindy J. House and John Wiessinger, but they do not strictly follow taxonomic order and they vary widely in the number of birds per plate. The species accounts, which occupy most of the book, treat appearance, local names, and seasonal and habitat occurrence, voice, and nesting. Vagrants and unestablished vagrants are then listed. Last, Raffaele describes seven good places to find birds in the region and provides a checklist of species keyed to those localities. Maps, index. The volume has been nicely designed and printed but its binding does not seem sturdy enough to endure heavy use. The guide is not only invaluable for resident or migrant birders in its islands, but also it can serve to identify most birds found elsewhere in the West Indies. The Spanish edition to be published next year should importantly aid in fostering local appreciation of the region’s wildlife.

Wildlife and Wildlife Habitats of American Samoa: I. Environment and Ecology, II. Accounts of Flora and Fauna. A. Binion Amerson, Jr., W. Arthur Whistler, and Terry D. Schwaner; edited by Richard C. Banks. 1982. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC. Two parts, 119 + 15 1 p. Paper covers. No charge. Source: U.S.F.W.S.,Region I, 500 N.E. Multnomah St., Suite 1692, Portland, OR 97232.

American Samoa is a small group of atolls and volcanic islands situated about 2,900 km NNE of New Zealand. Its wildlife and natural habitats were thoroughly surveyed for the USFWS and the resulting voluminous report was abridged into the present document. The first part covers the physical environment, vegetation, terrestrial vertebrate communities, community relationships, and conservation and resource management.

The second part describes the study plots, gives an annotated list of the plants, and reviews the land vertebrates. For each of the bird species there is given its Samoan name, status, a summary of observations (including those from the literature), and mention of specimens taken. Photographs, distribution maps, references, and many tables.

This report, not to mention that from which it is drawn, provides valuable baseline information for assessing potential environmental impacts, identifies threatened species and habitats, and offers recommendations for management. Biologists and resource managers may find it applicable in other islands of the tropical western Pacific.

Birds of Southern California’s Deep Canyon. Wesley W. Weathers. 1983. University of California Press, Berkeley. 266 p. $35.00.

Deep Canyon is located at the northwestern corner of the Coachella Valley, about 26 km southeast of Palm Springs. It descends from cool montane forest atop the Santa Rosa Mountains to the Colorado desert of the valley floor, a drop of 2,600 m in a span of only 18 km. The wide range of habitats thus encompassed support 217 species of birds (112 nesting). This book is an ecological study of the birdlife, based on the author’s own fieldwork and that of many others (back to Grinnell and Swarth 1913). Nine major habitats and their avian communities are each described and analyzed. Combining data on population density with calculations of daily energy expenditure, Weathers shows the energetic impact of the species in different seasons and habitats. Following this material are the species accounts, which include general (sometimes rather elementary) natural history information as well as specific observations on status and habits in Deep Canyon. An appendix chart summarizes data on habitats and seasonal occurrence for all the species. Graphs, drawings, photographs (monochrome and color), references, index. Avian ecologists who study community dynamics in the southwestern U.S. will find much of interest in this book.

Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa/The Birds of the Western Palearctic. Volume III. Waders to Gulls. Edited by Stanley Cramp with K. E. L. Simmons, Duncan J. Brooks, N. J. Collar, Euan Dunn, Robert Gillmor, P. A. D. Hollom, Robert Hudson, E. M. Nicholson, M. A. Ogilvie, P. J. S. Olney, C. S. Roselaar, K. H. Voous, D. I. M. Wallace, Jan Wattel, and M. G. Wilson. 1983. Oxford University Press, Oxford, London, and New York. 913 p. E 49.50.

This volume follows the same basic plan as its predecessors(noticed in Condor 80:253 and 83:141). Owing to the large number of charadriiform species in the region and the great deal that is known about them, it has been necessary to relegate the terns, skimmers, and alcids to the next volume, together with the remainder of the non-passerines. The treatment of certain topics has been revised to overcome problems that became manifest in the previous volumes and, more importantly, to adjust to the habits of the birds under consideration. The book is illustrated with 105 color plates as well as countless drawings, maps, sound spectrograms, and diagrams of the annual cycle. Staggeringly comprehensive, this superb reference work is essential for anyone working on charadriiforms, whether palearctic species or not. References, corrections to volumes I and II, and index.

Whistling-ducks: Zoogeography, Ecology, Anatomy. Eric C. Bolen and Michael K. Rylander. 1983. Special Publications No. 20, The Museum, Texas Tech University. 67 p. Paper cover. $12.00. Source: Texas Tech Press, Sales Office, Texas Tech University Library, Lubbock, Texas, 79409.

The eight species of Dendrocygna are distributed around the world, largely between the 30th parallels, north and south. This report collects published and unpublished information on them, principally from the authors’ own previous papers. Distribution and zoogeography, comparative habits, and anatomy (chiefly skeletomuscular) are treated, concentrating on the four best-known species. A brief appendix tabulates the state of sixty morphological and life history characters for these same species and gives a phenogram based on these data. The report is useful as a compilation but it sheds little new light on the systematic position, ecology, or behavior of whistling-ducks. Their whistling is not mentioned. Maps, drawings, references.

Anatomy of the Domestic Birds. R. Nickel, A. Schummer. and E. Seiferle. 1977. Verlaa Paul Parev. Berlin and Hamburg. 202 p. Source: Springer-Verlag New York, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010.

This is a textbook on the anatomy of the fowl and other domestic birds, which has been skillfully translated from the German original edition (1973) by two British poultry anatomists, W. G. Siller and P. A. L. Wight. Conventional in plan and treatment, it marches through the organ systems from skeleton to skin. The approach is heavily descriptive and lightly, if at all, physiological or functional. The level of detail is mostly gross, with little attention paid to microanatomy. Many drawings (a few in color) are provided, the majority of them original; although well executed and reproduced, they show no new views. References, index. As a sound, convenient source of basic descriptive information, this book compares well with those by King and McLelland (noticed in Condor 78:148), T. Koch (Anatomy of the Chicken and Domestic Birds. 1973. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames), and Schwarze and Schrijder (noticed in Condor 82:9), yet each of these has certain advantages. For standardized terminology and more details, particularly on microanatomy and physiology, one must consult the works edited by Baumel (noticed in Condor 82:397) or King and McLelland (noticed in Condor 82:327, 84:21).

The Importance of Wildlife to Canadians. F. L. Filion, S. W. James, J. L. Ducharme, W. Pepper, R. Reid, P. Boxall, and D. Teillet. 1983. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. 40 p. Paper cover. Source: Minister of Supply and Services, Ottawa, Canada. Catalogue No. CW66-62/l 983E.

This report presents the highlights of a comprehensive survey conducted in 1982, under the sponsorship of the Federal-Provincial Wildlife Conference. Questioning approximately 100,000 Canadians from all regions and walks of life, the study gauged the importance of wildlife to them. The results concerning participation in wildlife-related activities, expenditures on these activities, and attitudes toward wildlife are summarized here with text and many graphs. They quantify Canadians' high involvement and level of spending for wildlife-related activities, as well as their positive feelings toward wildlife and conservation. Although the data have not yet been completely analyzed, the report concludes by indicating some of their potential implications for wildlife management. These findings offer a lesson to wildlife agencies elsewhere about the value of consulting sociologists and economists.

How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, Second Edition. Robert A. Day. 1983. ISI Press, Philadelphia. 181 p. $17.95 hardcover, $11.95 softcover. Source: ISI Press, 3501 Market St., University City Science Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Here is a revised version of an already outstanding manual on the presentation of science (noticed in Condor 82:75). Following the general plan of the original, it gives practical instructions on all aspects of scientific writing and publishing. Most of the chapters have been expanded and new ones have been added on the electronic manuscript, writing book reviews, and the oral presentation of papers. While the book can be consulted as a reference, it deserves to be read straight through, for its parts are interrelated and the writing itself is exemplary. Touches of humor make points and enliven the reading. This book is probably the best of its kind and deserves to be studied by any researcher, however experienced, who intends to publish an article. It can also be used by technical writers, editors, and teachers of scientific writing. Graduate students--if you can afford only one book this year, let this be it.

Eco-ornithological Glossary. Rudolf Berndt and Wolfgang Winkel. 1983. Duncker & Humblot, Berlin. 79 p. Paper cover. DM 30. Source: Duncker & Humblot, P.O. Box 41-03-29, 1000 Berlin 41, Germany.

This booklet, in German and English, gives definitions and translations for approximately 400 terms used in avian ecology. The entries range in length from a single word to nearly half a page, and the explanations are enhanced with many examples. The terms have been well translated into English by Rosemary Jellis, herself an ornithologist, and they can be looked up in either language. While this reference can be used merely for its definitions, it will be most valuable as a key for unlocking some of the foreign literature. American ornithologists now have less excuse than before for not keeping up with ideas and findings published in German. Index, list of selected references.

A Guide to Bird Behavior, Volume 1. Donald W. Stokes. 1983. Little, Brown and Co., Boston. 336 p. Paper cover. $8.95.

This is a paperback reprint of the novel and still unique guide to understanding the behavior of 25 species of common North American birds (noticed in Condor 82: 148). Ideal for birders who want to go beyond identification and listing.

Managing Wetlands and Their Birds/ A Manual of Wetland and Waterfowl Management. Edited by D. A. Scott. 1982. International Waterfowl Research Bureau, Slimbridge, England. 368 p. Paper cover. £6.00. Source: I.W.R.B., Slimbridge, Glos. GL2 7BX, England.

This manual deals with the active management of wetlands and the populations of birds ecologically dependent on them, in contrast to passive management--the straightforward protection of sites and species. The outcome of a 10-year effort by the I.W.R.B., it presents the 44 papers given at a 1982 conference held in West Germany. The papers are grouped thematically: management of wetlands, creation of artificial nesting sites, farming for waterfowl, predation, environmental contamination and disease, endangered species, regulation of hunting, and sanctuaries. Most of the papers concern ducks and geese, but some treat flamingoes, gulls, and other waterbirds. Geographically, they emanate from Europe, North America, and the Soviet Union. Reporting on a wide variety of management practices that have been tried, they offer encouragement and many ideas for wildlife biologists. Illustrations, references.

A Review of Some Important Techniques in Sampling Wildlife. A. R. Sen. 1982. Occasional Paper No. 49, Canadian Wildlife Service. 15 p. Paper cover. Source: Minister of Supply and Services, Ottawa, Canada. Catalogue No. CW69-l/49E.

"This paper reviews some of the important methods for estimating animal numbers or densities based on (1) direct counts of population units as used in quadrat, strip, line-transect, and line-intercept sampling and (11) indirect counts and indices, such as capture-mark-recapture, change-in-ratio, and catch-effort methods, and indices based on track, call, roadside, and pellet-group counts." Sen concisely explains each method and points out its assumptions, applicability, and limitations. References.

Elliott Coues/Naturalist and Frontier Historian. Paul Russell Cutright and Michael J. Brodhead. 1981. University of Illinois Press, Urbana. 509 p. $28.50.

Elliott Coues's name and his major publications are still honored by taxonomically inclined ornithologists, yet his life has been forgotten. Strangely, the story of this colorful, influential, and enormously productive scientist has been hitherto neglected. We now have this first-rate biography of him, based on the literature and a vast collection of previously unpublished material, in particular Coues's own handwritten "Book of Dates." The book is consequently crammed with revealing details and quotations from his letters and publications. It follows his life closely without attempting to view him in a broad context. The authors explain matters wherever necessary yet refrain from much commentary or speculation. They portray Coues as a brilliant and extraordinary man: Army surgeon, systematic zoologist, editor, historian, lexicographer, and "general scientific gadfly." He also took active roles in Theosophy, the occult, and the fight for womens' rights! The book closes with lists of the new birds and mammals described by Coues, a list of his memberships in learned societies, and a full bibliography of literature about and by him. This last is ample evidence of Coues's status as one of the greatest ornithologists ever. Photographs, index.

The Emergence of Ornithology as a Scientific Discipline: 1760-1850. Paul Lawrence Farber. 1982. D. Reidel Publishing Co., Dordrecht, Holland. 191 p. $39.50. Source: Kluwer Boston, Inc., 190 Old Derby St., Hingham, MA 02043.

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries natural history was transformed from a general and highly literary activity into a set of specialized scientific disciplines. This monograph uses ornithology as a case study for examining that process, it being one of the first zoological disciplines to emerge and one that attracted considerable attention and support. Farber is a historian of science, not an ornithologist, and he takes a broader approach than previous histories of ornithology. He relates the evolution of this discipline to changes in its social, economic, philosophical, religious, and scientific context. The rise of ornithology is shown to be linked with colonialism, the growth of museums, and the 19th century vogue of natural history. While this well-written book is aimed at scholars of Western intellectual history, it deserves to be read by ornithologists who want to learn about their roots. Notes (including references), index.

Flight of the Storm Petrel. Ronald M. Lockley. 1983. Paul S. Eriksson, Middlebury, Vermont. 192 p. $16.95.

Storm-petrels are unfamiliar to many birders although they inhabit all the oceans except the Arctic and one species is reputed to be the most numerous sea bird, if not the most numerous of all birds in the world. It is amazing that such small birds (one species weighs no more than a Song Sparrow) manage to survive tempestuous conditions and migrate tens of thousands of kilometers annually. Lockley has enjoyed a life-long fascination with storm-petrels and in this book he has synthesized and distilled all that he and others have learned about them. The first half is devoted to Hydrobates pelagicus, by far the best-known of the 21 species, and the second half deals with the remainder. A wealth of information is presented in a clear and non-technical style, interwoven with Lockley's own experiences. A good read in natural history, this book conveys not only a lot of facts but also the author's pleasure in acquiring them. The text is illustrated with many nice pen-and-ink drawings by Noel W. Cusa. Maps, references, index.