'handbooks'

[John Leonard <>]

I think handbooks are called handbooks because when they started to be 
published at the end of the C19 most natural history books were folio size, 
or larger. Thus any book that was smaller than this seemed more accessible.
It's an interesting point that birding-ausers seem not to remark on the 
size of 'field-guides' (Slater is still the only really portable fieldguide 
for Australia). I guess this means that most birding-ausers are experienced 
enough not to have to take a field-guide around with them, at least in 
their own patch.
I did hear a rumour that Slater was due for a revised edition this year 
sometime.

John Leonard


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