Bulletin of the EANHS 27 ( I ) 
BOOK REVIEWS 
Birdsof Kenya and Northern Tanzania. D A. Zimmerman. 
DA. Turner &D.J. Pearson ISBN 1-8750191-04-1. Pp 
740. 124 colour plates, numerous line drawings & 
distribution maps for most species Russel Friedman CC. 
P.O. Box 73. Hallway House. 1685, South Africa Available 
from the EANHS office at a reduced price to members 
only. 
1 hate to be among the “when we " and "if only 
brigades, but this bird guide almost puts me there If 
only I had had such a guide when I first arrived in East 
Africa, thirty years ago. to help me 9ort out the vast 
array of bird species. I remember my struggles with the 
first edition Williams and its black and white waders 
among many others and the need lo consult the Guide 
to the National Parks in order to identify some or the 
rarer species. Since 1 bought this book I think I have 
consulted it almost every day I have learned so much 
and continue to learn every time I open it — even new 
terminology 
The 52 page Introduction gives a complete overall 
description of habitats to be found, terminology of bird 
identification with a glossary of terms used, extensive 
geographic information including weather patients, and 
a brief description of sites where birds are mosl easily 
seen depending on the birders nine and ability Maps 
show major area lakes, parks, ere Good, cxucmcly 
comprehensive text on all the species, wonderful 
illustrations — especially useful lo have waders and birds 
of prey and gulls in flight. Separate illustrations for bitds 
of prey in dark morphs make them coster to identity 
Particularly good arc the details of lull feathers in nighljnrs 
and oilier species where ibis is oficn Ihc only obvious 
field marie 
This book caters for all serious nmilhologiMs, ill all 
levels. The infomialion given may indeed be more than a 
casual observer can easily eope with nnd this was a 
comment from one of my birders that she hud difficulty 
gelling through the depth of information lo Hie esscnlials 
which would help her lo identify a bird The size of Ihc 
book makes il more of a book of reference tban a burden 
lo be carried in Ihc field and I would nol recommend it 
for the absolute beginner bul for all those with any 
serious interest in birds, it is an absolute must. This 
publication is in ray opinion ihc first lo pul Kenya on a 
close fooling wilh Sooth Africa, vvlticlt has always 
enjoyed a wealth of good bird guides 1 am overjoyed lo 
have il on my shelf, always close ai hand 
Marlene Rcid,PO Box 8042". Mombasa. 
Editor's noic: Mrs. Reid leads regular birding walks in 
and around Mombasa and the Kenya Coast. 
The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals by 
Jonathan Kingdon Pp 465 Illustrated by the author/ 
artist throughout in colour and black and white, soil 
cover Academic Press. London Price 129.95. Available 
a! Text Book Centre. Nairobi. 
Jonathan Kingdon's seven volume East African 
Mammals An Allas of Evolution is one of the 20* 
century's great works on African wildlife. Ever since Ihc 
fiisl volume appeared, many people have hoped that his 
material would become available in a smaller, more 
compact formal. This has come lo pass The Kingdon 
Field Guide to African Mammals anas Africa’s known 
1.150 mammals 
As a field guide this work sets new standards for the 
genre Kingdon is something of a polymath whose 
interests. Inter alia, straddle the fields of evolution 
taxonomy, behaviour and art. On Ihc one hand he Is a 
leading ibinkcr In Ihc biological sciences, and on the 
other an academic artist His teaching career was at least 
miliolly as u University Lecturer in an Art and not Science 
Ihcully This unique combination of talent makes his new 
volume an outstanding compendium of information ou 
Africa's entire mammalian fauna, accompanied by 
paintings and sketches that illustrate mammals more 
cogently Ilian photographs ever can 
Standard information given is an introduction to each 
order, family and genus— with original msighl inio iluar 
evolution — before presenting Ihe Individual species 
English. French. German and Swahili names are given, 
followed by average body measurements and weights, 
sub-species, distribution (wilh maps), habiuns. foods, 
behaviour, adaptations and conservation status In 
certain laxa where the preseat state of human knowledge 
is vety Hiln (e g. Crocidura, ihc vvhitc-iooihed shrews, 
wilh 103 species), spcdcs are lisled. bill site genus rather 
than species is treated as the descriptive entity Within 
this standatd formula. Kingdon presents an eclectic, bul 
lascuialing selection of information 
The text is a lad loo technical for some laymen, though 
this is not a serious defect Latin names may have to do 
for Ihc shrews and bals. as many really have no well- 
used common names. Yet for laymen (and field guides 
are primarily for laymen), Ihcy arc a nuisance where tile 
well-known larger animals arc concerned For example, 
'bongo' would have been more appropriate Ilian 
• Tragelaphus euryceros' on Ihc distnbubon map which, 
in this case, is eight pages from the species' text. Similarly 
'lion' is altogether less laboured than ‘Panthera len' 
Throughout, the reader senses that the author was 
bursting with additional informanon iliat lie was barred 
from presenting through lack of space This lends lo Ihc 
book's biggest weaknesses I believe lhat ii is ihc 
Academic Press's first attempt at a field guide nnd this 
shows Having published Kingdon's seven seminal 
volumes, ihc firm was aware of the vast knowledge the 
author liad al his disposal Ycl throughout Uie Field 
Guide there isa sense of both penny pinching and poor 
planning While Ihcrc is a checklist al llie front of Ihc 
book that gets Ihc reader about the text adequately. Ilic 
hook lias no Index. The author was told that if lie wanted 
an index he had to reduce the text. Yet there are five 
blank pages for 'notes' al the end of the book: surely a 
luxury of lesser importance than an index? 
The map of Africa's rivets and lakes on page 447 is so 
