referencebooks

A Field Guide to Animal Tracks

Text and illustrations by Olaus J. Murie.

Published by Houghton Mifflin, 1975.

This is a 4.75" by 7.5" hardbound book that runs to 375 pages including the bibliography and index, plus an editor's note; acknowedgements; a "key to tracks" that lets you look up animal tracks visually; and the author's "Life List" of animal tracks seen.

The book presents detailed discussions and illustrations of animal tracks. It's divided into chapters by zoological family (common names given first), and then species or species group within those chapters, by common name.

Opening the book at random we're at the entry for "Meadow Vole or Field Mouse." This entry has nine pages of illustrations and text. The text discusses this group of animals and how they live in their habitat, with detailed discussion of variations in their tracks within each season. The illustrations and text are very clear and informative.

This is an example of an old reference book that hasn't lost a bit of its value over time. Very useful for biologists and anyone interested in wildlife.