David -
At 09:00 18/12/1997 +0000, you wrote:
>Does anyone out there know which edition of Bertie Smythies' Birds of
>Borneo is of most use to birders? The first edition is the most
>expensive, but is it the best? What are the differences?
The first (1960) edition is not only expensive but quite hard to find. The
second (1968) is just as good or better for birding since it was updated,
but also may be hard to find. The third (1981) Sabah Society edition is
just as good for birding as it has the same plates and updated info, but
lacks the fascinating introductory chapters in the first two editions on
birds and people, Iban bird augury, cave swiftlets and the history of
Bornean ornithology. I believe there is a more recent paperback edition
which uses the same plates in a smaller format and with the info stripped
down to birding essentials. However, for straighforward birding purposes in
Borneo, a better guide is McKinnon & Phillipps' 'Birds of the Greater Sundas'.
Cheers, Hugo.
Hugo Phillipps,
Birds Australia Conservation & Liaison,
Australian Bird Research Centre,
415 Riversdale Road,
Hawthorn East, VIC 3123, Australia.
Tel: (03) 9882 2622. Fax: (03) 9882 2677.
O/s: +61 3 9882 2622. Fax: +61 3 9882 2677.
Email: <>
Web Homepage: http://www.vicnet.net.au/~birdsaus
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