Covering over 400 species, this work presents all of the terrestrial mammal species of the Western Palearctic, serving as an excellent guide to the great wealth of fauna in this region. Species accounts are concise and authoritative, giving information on size, distribution, habitat, behaviour, reproduction and feeding. Each account is supported by distribution maps and superb illustrations. The book features over 100 plates, comprising of over 600 colour species artworks. Variation between the sexes is illustrated and anatomical diagrams are provided to assist identification.

This book provides a comprehensive treatment of all the Pleistocene species in Europe, classified according to modern taxonomic principles. For each species there is a description of its descent and migration history, its range, and its mode of life.

The first version of this book was a semi popular paperback in the Swedish Aldus series. The present edition is completely rewritten and greatly expanded, but retains the non-technical approach to make the story accessible to readers with varying backgrounds. The first part of the book is an outline of the Pleistocene history of Europe, with its climatic changes and succession of mammalian faunas. In the second part are listed all the species of Mammalia known from the Pleistocene and Postglacial of Europe, with the evolution, range in time and space, and mode of life set down for each species, as far as known. The final part is an evaluation of the story in terms of evolution and palaeogeography.

The author begins with a description of the floral and faunal succession in Europe, from the Villafranchian period, when climatic changes were moderate, to the increasing temperature oscillations of the later Pleistocene, with its recurrent faunal revolutions. Against this background Kurten then deals with the whole range of the mammalian species, and his account is fully illustrated by reconstructions and text figures showing skeletal and odontological characters. The book concludes with an analysis of the material available for this study, which throws fresh light on several aspects of zoogeography, evolution, and ecology.

This is the most complete account of the mammalian species of Europe yet to appear, and will be of great value to all paleontologists.

Bjrn Kurtn (1924-1988) was lecturer in palaeontology at the University of Helsinki. He is well known for his studies of the Pleistocene carnivores and of human evolution. He was a recipient of Unesco's Kalinga Award. Some of his most famous publications include On the Variation and Population Dynamics of Fossil and Recent Mammal Populations and Pleistocene Mammals of North America.

In the wilds of which one continent do Canadian beavers, white-tailed deer, raccoons, American mink, Algerian hedgehogs, Egyptian slit-faced bats, Chinese water deer, golden jackals, red-necked wallabies, and Barbary apes scamper or flutter about? Europe. This guide is the first to authoritatively describe all of the more than 200 mammals one might encounter in the Old World and the seas around it--also including more widespread creatures such as brown bears, badgers, bats, hedgehogs, wild boar, and a host of whales and dolphins.

The book features 64 color plates containing over 600 superbly detailed paintings of the animals themselves, sometimes with their young, and sketches of tracks, nests, holes, field signs, skulls and teeth. Many species appear in their characteristic gaits. The succinct yet unusually informative text is complemented by 236 black and white sketches and over 200 distribution maps. For each species, details on color, form, habitats, measurements, breeding, and behavior are given. A specific entry for every animal covers recognition, whether by sound, the marks left when feeding, or its tracks. A table on bats explains all variations in flight pattern, calls, and feeding times. An exhaustive list of calls made by whales and dolphins is also included.

Nature-lovers eyeing a real or imagined European vacation will discover in these pages that the Old World's mix of mammals, far from being old hat, is positively fascinating. Offering thorough information and first-rate color illustrations, this book sets the standard high.

• Comprehensive field guide to the more than 200 mammals of Europe and the surrounding seas
• 64 color plates with more than 600 paintings of the animals and sketches of their tracks, nests, holes, field signs, skulls and teeth, and young
• Text provides information on color, form, habitat, size, breeding, and behavior, with specific entries for recognition by sound, tracks, or color variation
• Table on flight pattern, calls, and feeding times for all bats
• Over 200 distribution maps plus black-and-white illustrations

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections
such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact,
or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections,
have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works
worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.



++++

The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to ensure edition identification:

++++