Review:
The author designed this book for laypersons who "may find a whale stranded on a beach and want to identify and review the anatomical features of the specimen." This is not a book about whale behavior or whaling; it is intended to serve as a handbook on anatomy and classification. Replete with black-and-white sketches and photos, Whales of the World is divided into three parts. Part One, "Me Origin and Evolution of Whales," covers fossils, "whales in ancient times," and comparisons of toothed whales and whaleboned whales. Part Two focuses on the anatomy of the living whale. Part Three, "'Me Living Whales," is arranged by suborders, families, genera, and species. The first two sections discuss classification and the position of whales in the animal kingdom. The third section covers specifics on seventy-seven species, including notes on identifying features, size and shape, distribution and migration, teeth, skeletal system, reproduction, abundance, and economic importance. The book concludes with a three-page cetacean data record for recording physical measurements and features of dead whales. Although the audience for such a book must be a narrow one, it is unarguable that any beachcomber happening upon a dead whale while carrying Whales of the World would be well prepared. -- From Independent Publisher
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