illustrated

This is a wonderful book. Carl Ernst and George Zug are eminent herpetologists who have produced a well-written book on an extremely popular subject. Divided into five large chapters and five appendixes, the book is set up in a question-and-answer format. Depending on the question (What is a snake? Do snakes get sick? How do fangs work?), the answers range from one or two paragraphs to multiple pages and are illustrated with photographs or line drawings. Two of the sections will be eagerly used by librarians answering questions--that on giant snakes (boas and pythons) and that on poisonous snakes (vipers and cobras). The appendixes offer further information on the classification and sizes of snakes and provide a useful directory of herpetological organizations. A glossary defines some of the more technical terminology. Finally, two bibliographies provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific literature on snakes. This exceptional book should be in every library. Nancy Bent