Cogger, Harold G. and Richard G. Zweifel. 1998. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians: A Comprehensive Illustrated Guide by International Experts University of New South Wales Press, Sydney, 240 p. HB, Dj. $39.95

This magnificently illustrated book, written by some of the world's foremost herpetologists, celebrates the extraordinary diversity of reptiles and amphibians. in their behavior and physiology, these creatures are as complex as birds and mammals, and they are equally well adapted to the astonishingly varied environments they inhabit. Some live underground, others live high in the rainforest canopy. Some glide through the air, and others "fly" through water. Some have lost their limbs and slither along the ground, others hop with grace and agility. In size they range from tiny South American frogs no bigger than postage stamps to giant snakes, such as the anaconda.

The Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians contains more than 200 supurb color photographs and 100 specially commissioned illustrations, maps, and diagrams. it chronicles the life-histories of some of nature's most secretive yet remarkable creatures, and features new insights afforded us by recent research.

Contributors include:

Aaron M. Bauer
Charles C. Carpenter
William E. Duellman
Carl Gans
Brian Groombridge
Harold Heatwole
Benedetto Lanza
Wiliam E. Magnusson
Donald G. Newman
Annamaria Nistri
Ronald A. Nussbaum
Fritz Jurgen Obst
Oliver C. Rieppel
Jay M. Savage
Richard Shine
Stefano Vanni