Handbook of the Mammals of the World

Received a brochure in the mail yesterday for Lynx Publications' (Barcelona) latest venture, the "Handbook of the Mammals of the World". To be published in eight volumes, the first volume will be available in April 2009.

I already have several volumes of their monumental "Handbook of the Birds of the World" (HBW), so I was very happy to learn that Mammals was so close to production. HBW - which will be a 16 volume series when complete - intends to list and illustrate every bird species in the world. The brochure for Mammals states that they will describe every species of mammal, with illustrations of every species and every major subspecies.

HBW follows a taxonomic approach, with Volume 1 dealing with Ratites, Tinamous, Penguins, Divers, Grebes, Albatross, Pelicans, Storks, Flamingos, Ducks and Geese. Volume 2 picks up with Birds of Prey and the Gallinaceous birds, Volume 3 with Hoatzins, Gruiformes and Charadriformes, etc. etc.

So I figured Mammals would be similar - start with Monotremes and Marsupials, then Insectivores, Chiroptera, Primates etc. However, this is not the case.

Volume 1 deals with Carnivores. Vol.2 with Hoofed Animals, Vol.3 is Primates, and Vol.4 will be Sea Mammals. Marsupials (and I presume Monotremes) will be Vol.5, and the last three volumes will cover Rodents, Insectivores and Bats.

While the logistics of publication may dictate that this is the most economical or feasible method of printing, I still find this a little disappointing. Based on those titles, I have no idea which volume will include the small but very interesting orders of Pholidota, Tubulidentata, Dermoptera and Xenarthra. I'm guessing Hyracoidea will be with the Hoofed Mammals (to demonstrate it's relationship with the elephants).

Apart from this, the really good news is that the price for the Mammals volumes will be much lower - 160 euros as compared to 212 for each volume of Birds. Prepublication price (until March 31) is only 125 euros.

More information (without my opinions) is available at Lynx Editions, publishers of books on birds, ornithology and natural history



Hix

 

In the grim early days of 2009, with tales of financial meltdown, war in israel and global terrorism abounding, the arrival soon of the Handbook of the Mammals of the World is a much-needed boost. If it is half as good as the various bird volumes, it will be twice as good as anything else comparable out there. the sample pages included in the brochure mentioned by hix suggest that it will be very similar to the bird volumes. The bird volumes have been the zoological publications of the past years - in fact, i cannot think of anything which comes close in quality - so the mammals ones are to be welcomed. I just hope i live long enough to see them move on to reptiles and amphibians too.

 

Ditto.



Hix

 

I wait keenly for this publication.

Judging from the samples on website, it looks that HMW will be a little to general to my liking. Perhaps because many big predators were extremely well studied (really, you could write such a thick book only about the tiger or the wolf). But it still will be the best general mammal publication in existence. I would also prefer that all photos are of animals in the wild.

I note that Lynx edicions are not promoting the regular subscription. I guess that carnivore volume is a bit of a trial and future is flexible. So maybe pangolins et al are not yet assigned to any volume.

 

The brochure I got did offer the regular subscription for the entire series.

And I think you'll find that, wherever possible, photos are of animals in the wild.



Hix

 

I have all the voulmes in the birds series and a few years ago a form was included in one volume asking if people would be interested in a similar series on mammals.

I would think that the response was good enough to take the project forward and that all 8 volumes will appear. Also some potential purchasers may not neccessarily also be interested in birds, so their readership estimate may be a bit on the low side.

I'm looking forward to receiving my first volume.

I'm also concerned about the volumes for bats and rodents. If evey species is illustrated I dread to think how large the volumes will be.

 

Or how small the illustrations will be ....



Hix

 

I never thought of that.

 

Very interesting. If I could afford it, I'd definitely subscribe to that!

 

Orders are now being taken for volume 2 which comes out at the end of August.
Animals included:
Aardvark (Orycteropodidae)
Hyrax (Procaviidae)
Elephants (Elephantidae)
Pangolins (Manidae)
Horses, Wild ass, and Zebras (Equidae)
Tapir (Tapiridae)
Rhinoceros (Rhinocerotidae)
Pigs (Suidae)
Peccaries (Tayassuidae)
Hippopotamus (Hippopotamidae)
Camelids (Camelidae)
Chevrotains (Tragulidae)
Musk deers (Moschidae)
Deer (Cervidae)
Pronghorn (Antilocapridae)
Giraffe and Okapi (Giraffidae)
Bovids (Bovidae)

Best price I can see is £104.80 (Book depository).

 

Hopefully before then - the HMW website is quoting this month. And while I think the special pre-order offer is now over, they are still quoting €250 for both the first two volumes, which is very good value.

For those who did not get the first volume, or are unfamiliar with the companion Birds series, these really are incredible books.

 

An interesting side-story to the publication of volume 2 is the fact that there are some ZooChatters on the list as contributors. That shouldn't be too surprising considering that this site is a wealth of information for many people within the zoo industry, but I personally recognize two names on the list that are ZooChatters and there may even be many more:

Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 2 | Lynx Edicions

 

You can't just tease like that... who are the mystery men (or woman)?

 

There are around 30 different contributors to the book and I wouldn't want to name them without their permission...but likely they will see this thread and come forth themselves. I already sent a private message to one asking if he would like to be named, and the other is a man as well and so I'll leave it up to them. I will point out that I'm a high school teacher from Canada and thus if I personally know two contributors/writers then others on this site within the zoo industry must know many more names than I could ever mention.

 

I splurged recently and purchased the two volume set at the special price (and also got the Birdbase software too), and Volume 1 arrived last Friday.

Absolutely brilliant! The photos of cats in the wild are some of the best I've seen anywhere - Arizona Docent should it just for the photos alone. But there is also so much really good, detailed information. I spent a happy couple of hours just flipping through it looking at the photos and illustrations.

Expensive, but well worth it (for me, anyway).



Hix

 

Just a brief word to say that vol.2 of The Handbook Of The Mammals Of The World is delayed until late September

 

Shame - that's the second delay now .

 

The book hasn't been delayed till end september, I just received a copy of it and I like it

 

Great!!!

I look forward to seeing mine in the next week or so!!!



Hix