Marianne Taylor

<i><b>"Meshing deft scientific text with Tuttle's sumptuous images, it's a superb introduction to the baroque morphologies and flying prowess of these beguiling beasts."</b><i><b></b></i>- Nature<br/><br/><b>Bats: An Illustrated Guide to All Species</b></i><b> looks in detail at the more than 1,300 species known today.</b><br/><br/> Nocturnal, fast-flying and secretive, they are <b>endlessly fascinating</b>, yet extremely difficult to observe and catalogue. The <b>diversity of bats is both rich and underestimated</b> and the <b>threats they face from humans </b>are very real. This guide <b>illuminates the world of bats </b>and <b>reveals their true nature</b> as intelligent, social and deeply misunderstood creatures.<br/><br/>This <b>extravagantly illustrated </b>handbook features the work of <b>famed nature photographer Merlin D. Tuttle</b> and <b>in-depth profiles of 288 bats</b>, from the Large Flying Fox, which has a wingspan of more than five feet, to the Bumblebee Bat, contender for the world's smallest mammal. <i>Bats</i> includes <b>close-up images</b> of these animals' delicate and intricate forms and faces, each shaped by evolution to meet the demands of an extraordinarily specialized life, and a <b>thorough introduction</b> which <b>explores their natural history </b>and unique adaptations to life on the wing. <br/><br/> If you like this you might also be interested in <i>Owls </i>by Marianne Taylor . . .