Customer Reviews

The Encyclopedia of Snakes

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This comprehensive, highly illustrated book covers the most popular aspects of snake biology and is intended to be the most informative and comprehensive title on the subject yet published. Throughout, colour photographs show the fascinating variety of snake coloration as well as being used to illustrate and clarify points of interest.

Each chapter consists of a main theme containing text, photographs and diagrams. There is a detailed coverage of snake classification, evolution, natural diversity, size, shape and coloration, physiology, ecology, feeding, defensive behaviour, breeding, mythology, superstition and modern human attitudes to snakes. In addition, there are 'fact boxes'within each chapter, which comprise items of special importance and interest, such as scale-type, population in the wild, egg incubation, etc.

Above all, this will be a major international title for all involved and interested in snakes, their zoology and care in captivity.

Chris Mattison is a professional berpetologist, based in Sheffield in the UK, with an international reputation as a writer on the topic. He is a long- established Cassell/Blandford author, having written Snakes of the World, Keeping and Breeding Snakes and half-a-dozen other related titles. A member of both the British and International Herpetological Societies, he travels widely photographing reptiles in the wild and is in demand as a lecturer on the subject in Europe and North America.

This books provides great info for snakes and their physiology, as well as taxonomy/classification. The main thing I found lacking was information on specific species; though it cover family/genus info fairly well, I felt it forsook the "trees for the forest." But overall very good.

Although not quite a good reference work for the true professional, The Encyclopedia of Snakes covers a wide array of topics and goes through the classification of the snakes in a comprehensible family by family format. The quality of the photographs is quite excellent, and, coupled with the extensive tidbits on habits, anatomy, classification, and range makes a wonderful and compelling read.

This is a great book. Instaed of the usual individual synopsis of each species, it has a more general approach. The sections on taxonomy and classification were especially useful to me.

I loved this book. It provided some natural history, but the meat of the book was the snakes' habits and lifestyles which is what most people starting in herpetology want. All in all it is a great book.

That was the word used when I asked my son-in-law how he liked his birthday present. He generally is not a reader but is very interested in snakes. He read the entire book and enjoyed it very much. He said he gained a lot of useful information.

I would use this book as one of the texts if I were teaching a herpetology course. It contains a comprehensive view of snakes' anatomy, sensory organs, and adaptations. If you're looking for a book that will give you an amazing amount of general snake knowledge, this is the book for you. For accounts of particular species, however, you will need to pick up additional material.

This is a great book. Instaed of the usual individual synopsis of each species, it has a more general approach. The sections on taxonomy and classification were especially useful to me.

I am not reviewing this book just can find no where to write a review of the site. in the memory you use to put the larger photos on you could put the table of contents and samples in the book. i see no virtual review of the book, nothing about it, no number of pages, no table of contents nothing. so therefore i will not buy from this site. i dont buy what i cant see or have no clue what the contents of the book is. this book is only a book of snakes not sure if it contains what i want or not. all i have a title that is all. titles dont sale books unless one is looking for a specific title.