Hello all
I have been off the list for a few months so apologise if this matter has
already been discussed.
Viking (Penguin Books) have recently published Simpson & Day's 5th edition of
their Field Guide to the Birds of Australia; on the reverse title page the year
of publication is given as 1996. The authors state that it contains major
changes/updates:
begin quote
For this fifth edition we have replaced 10 colour plates and modified two
others, making many improvements and adding more images, particularly of
younger birds. Field information text entries have been rewritten or modified
for a third of the species. Some 154 extra or replacement black-and-white
drawings are included. There are changes to 180 distribution maps.
end quote
They go on to explain how the book now follows (in the main) Christidis &
Boles' checklist and English names; codes for relative abundance and
sedentaryness/nomadism are included; new species added; and the Handbook
updated and restructured to follow Christidis & Boles' families.
The book is visually delightful and (as in the previous edition) well made: it
is a beautiful example of the book designer's craft.
The previous editions were criticised by some people for errors in text and
distribution maps, and some poor illustrations. Has anyone looked closely at
this new 5th edition and formed a judgement on it? I, for one, find it
excellent, and would probably now recommend it, over the Slater guide, to a new
birder who wanted two books in one, and was willing to cart it around. But I
continue to prefer Slater as a field guide, leaving Simpson & Day in the car
for reference, since half of it (the Handbook) just isn't field guide material.
David
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David McDonald Voice: +61-6-231 8904 (home)
PO Box 1355 Voice: +61-6-260 9231 (work)
WODEN ACT 2606 Facsimile: +61-6-260 9201 (work)
AUSTRALIA E-mail: (home)
E-mail: (work)
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