BIRD LIFE 
By Jurgen Nicolai 
G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York 
1974, 224 p., 144 color photos, $25.00 
At first glance this seems to be 
another nice ‘coffee table” book on 
birds featuring lavishly repro- 
duced photographs. A closer look 
reveals a well written text which 
is somewhat extended by the large 
size of type used. The author, a be- 
haviorist and student of Konrad 
Lorenz, has written a definitive 
study of birds based on his years 
of observation and experiment. He 
covers evolution, dispersal, court- 
ship, display, nest building, brood 
care, sharing in the _ ecosystem, 
camouflage, deception, flight and 
migration. Birds from all over the 
world are used as examples and 
the photographs depict many of 
the species mentioned. They repre- 
sent the work of some of the best 
bird photographers in the world 
and are worth the price of the 
book on their own merit. 
—Peter C. Petersen 
THE BOOK OF OWLS 
By Lewis Wayne Walker, 
Alfred A. Knopf, 
New York, 1974, 256 p., 
94 b. & w. photos, one map, $12.50 
A nice collection of photographs 
of and information, anecdotes and 
personal discoveries about owls. 
The author, long associated with 
Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum, 
studied owls at various times 
throughout his museum career. 
The book deals with many of the 
North American owls, species by 
species. Two chapters are contribu- 
ted by other authors, Grace Miller 
and Al Oeming, and the photo- 
graphs are the work of many 
photographers including the au- 
thor. The bulk of the text is basic 
life history information presented 
in straightforward prose. Separate 
sections are presented for voice, 
nesting, hours of activity and food. 
Much of the information is based 
on the author’s own research. The 
author’s wife completed the text 
after his death.—Peter C, Petersen 
THE DICTIONARY OF BIRDS 
IN COLOR 
By Bruce Campbell 
The Viking Press, New York, 1974 
352 p., 1008 color photographs, 
9 line drawings, one map, $22.50 
This book is primarily a collec- 
tion of good, color photographs of 
over ten percent of the species of 
the world’s birds. The introduction 
covers the evolution and adaption 
of birds to their changing environ- 
ment. The main text is alphabeti- 
cal by genus and provides a cap- 
sule description of the birds illus- 
trated and closely related species. 
The photographs are the heart 
of the book. They vary in size 
from 3% x 2% in, to 7 x 10 insane 
represent the work of some of the 
best nature photographers in the 
world; reproduction of the photo- 
graphs is excellent. If there is a 
fault, it is the use of only the 
scientific name for captions when 
space readily permits the common 
name also. The photographs are 
arranged in taxonomic order — an 
aid in their use. For a collection of 
photographs of a fine variety of 
birds this book is well worth the 
price. —Peter C. Petersen 
PAUL DOWNING, 1897-1974 
