The Encyclopedia of Mammals [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

~ David W. Macdonald (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—MacDonald refines his authoritative, cladistically arranged 2001 resource (Facts On File) to incorporate both current thinking about evolutionary relationships among mammals and the results of recent research into mammalian traits and genetics. Volume one opens with several overview essays ("What Is a Mammal?"), then covers monotremes, marsupials, and insect eaters; elephants and relatives; rodents; and lagomorphs. The second volume deals with primates, tree shrews, and colugos; shrews, moles, and hedgehogs; bats; pangolins; and carnivores. The third volume continues the coverage of carnivores, followed by sections on hoofed mammals and whales and dolphins. It also includes lists (in challengingly tiny type) of every species not described earlier and a set index. Each chapter is prefaced by general observations and includes occasional essays on intriguing discoveries ("Sex Ratio Manipulation in Red Deer," "Lemur Dialects"). The profiles are much enhanced by the title's most enticing feature: a huge array of big, sharp color photos of individual animals and groups and breathtaking shots of nature in action and graphics, including species distribution maps and drawings of animals. Though humans get barely a mention and the lively text is laid out in such dense blocks that less-motivated readers may quickly feel bogged down, the set provides an unusually inviting bridge to high-level research. Not an essential replacement for collections that already include the earlier edition, but a significant addition for those that don't.—John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

This comprehensive encyclopedia, expanded from one to three volumes and updated to include the latest scientific developments since the 1984 edition, should reach a broad audience. The information is presented in a consistent format, and color photographs, maps, and sketches make the set visually appealing. At the same time, each entry is authoritative and informative enough to be useful to students. The three volumes are divided into carnivores and sea mammals; primates and large herbivores; and marsupials/insect eaters/small herbivores. Mammals are subdivided first by order, whose common features are highlighted in a general essay, and then by family. Each family receives its own chapter, which begins with an overview of the characteristics of the family, including form and function, social behavior, distribution, and conservation and environment. Lesser-known species are treated as a group, with a brief description of each species. Each chapter includes a "Factfile" sidebar that gives a quick summary of the family's habitat, distribution, diet, breeding, longevity, and status. Families with many species have longer entries, which are supplemented by additional articles labeled "special feature." The third volume includes a complete species list and comprehensive index. As a three-volume set, this work is obviously more comprehensive than the single-volume Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife (LJ 11/1/01), covering approximately 4600 species; however, Animal's 2000 species include nonmammals. Editor MacDonald, a respected scholar in the study of mammals and an award-winning filmmaker, has combined both skills to produce an excellent resource. Recommended for all libraries needing a comprehensive, up-to-date animal reference, though small libraries or those with limited budgets should get Animal. Debby Emerson, Rochester Regional Lib. Council, Fairport, NY
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 895 pages
• Publisher: Facts on File; illustrated edition edition (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871968711
• ISBN-13: 978-0871968715
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #878,562 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like it. Use it. Recommend it., February 6, 1998

By A Customer

I've been a docent at a zoo for several years, and this book has been invaluable. It presents the material clearly and consistently. The pictures are fantastic. It's also a book that my family keeps hauling off the shelf to answer "that animal question."

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasure to read, June 4, 2004

By	RR "mustelaerminea" (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Mammals (Facts on File Natural Science Library) (Hardcover)

This book is informative enough to be a professional reference text, yet accessible and beautiful enough to be a coffee table book or even a picture book for older children. It presents a comprehensive overview of all the mammals, organized by taxonomical group. The text is supplemented with excellent photographs that allow the readers to "see the animals" for themselves and learn much the text does not say.

It was used as a textbook for my college mammalogy class, and it served the purpose better than any standard text. The authors and editor, top mammalogists, do a good (albeit slightly conservative) job of bringing together what is known about mammalogy and condensing it into one large volume. Each section summarizes one species or group of animals. Special spreads describe details such as the songs of the gibbons and the responses of voles to the scent of their predators. It was very engaging, and I highly recommend it even as a popular science reference.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A worthy tome of mammalian facts, September 17, 1997

By A Customer

For years I have keep this book close by my side. I'm amazed by the number of times I have consulted it while watching a nature show or after a discussion of wildlife. The coverage of mammalian families is comprehensive and the photographs are beautiful. A must own for any naturalist