Date: Fri, 22 Mar 2002 20:05:29 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Ben Poscover Subject: Peterson Bird Guide MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I just got the 5th edition of the Peterson Bird Guide. I haven't = had time to peruse it but do have some initial reactions: a.. It is larger than the other editions of Peterson's. I have always = thought that a field guide should fit into one's back pocket. However, = this idea went out with the publication of the National Geographic = guide. This hard cover Peterson guide is a bit larger than the National = Geographic one. =20 b.. The price of $30 is high for a field guide. c.. Range maps are now printed on the same page as the narrative. This = new placement is a major improvement. They are small and, for me, a bit = hard to decipher. However, each has a code number which gives reference = to larger maps that are again placed in the back of the book. The = plates are sharp with excellent definition. It is a beautiful guide. =20 d.. I will continue to recommend this as a best field guide for the = beginning birders of Ruth's and my bird class. Also, it isn't bad for = experienced birders. =20 I also got the latest edition of the Golden Guide's Birds of North = America. Upon cursory inspection, it seems very much like its = predecessors. However, the cover states "all new up-to-date range = maps." The cost of $15.95 seems reasonable.=20 Ben Poscover Towson MD bposcove@bcpl.net =20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================