Extinct Birds

In this well-researched study, artist Fuller gathers information about the 75 species of birds that have vanished since 1600. Organized by families, the book describes each species, its habitat and distribution; there are firsthand accounts of sightings by early travelers, a record of the last sighting and probable cause of extinction. Some of the birds are familiarthe heath hen, passenger pigeon, dodo and great auk; mosquitoes and rats from ships brought destruction to certain island birds, and starving Japanese soldiers ate the last Wake Island rail during World War II. Although similiar material on extinct birds appeared in David Day's The Doomsday Book of Animals, the difference here is the magnificent illustrations. Fuller presents paintings and sketches that include 300 years of dodo illustrations, for example. This is a book that will interest professional and amateur birders alike. (March)