IN THE WILDS WITH THE PERFECT JUNGLE BOOK

guide. The consistent presentation makes the guide very usable in the field and the occasional inset breaks the monotony. Reptiles are similarly covered; and the images are of markedly better quality.

For a wildlife enthusiast, it is not the mammals, birds, or reptiles in this book that’ll make for interesting reading or reference. It is the sections on amphibians, butterflies and dragonflies that truly makes this an invaluable field reference. These very interesting sections offer a glimpse into the vast biodiversity that the sample in the guide represents. While these are commonly seen, most enthusiasts rarely make an effort to identify insects. One reason for this was a lack of decent field guides for identification; the photographic guide addresses part of the issue by providing a great beginner’s reference resource for butterflies and dragonflies.

Perhaps the one crucial element that such a guide should cover is insects other than butterflies and dragonflies -- like the beetles, bees and wasps, mantids, and other insect families that a visitor to central India may commonly see. The sheer variety of insects is an understandable challenge, but covering the common ones would have greatly enhanced the value of this guide. At the very end of the book there is a taxonomic checklist for the animals covered in the book.

Nice photographs, concise information and an easy-to-read layout make this a great guide to have. If you live in this part of India, it has the potential to be your everyday field guide -- the one you carry around.

As a visitor to central India, rather than lugging around multiple field guides, take this one along as a general reference alongside a specialized guide for your area of interest. Easy to refer to in the field, this photographic field guide would make a great companion on wildlife trips to the region and its fringe areas. Definitely a recommended addition to your books on wildlife.