FROM THE PUBLISHER

Identify fossils with this handy reference guide.

Authoritative text, crystal-clear photography, and a systematic approach make the Dorling Kindersley handbook of Fossils the most comprehensive and concise pocket guide to fossils of the world. Packed with more than 1,000 full-color photographs of over 500 fossils, this handbook is designed to cut through the complex process of identification to enable you to recognize a species instantly.

Expertly written and thoroughly vetted, each entry combines a precise description with annotated photography to highlight a fossil's chief characteristics and distinguishing features. A full-color illustration, showing the fossil as a living as a living animal or plant, as well as color-coded bands providing at-a-glance facts for quick reference, complete each entry. For beginners and established enthusiasts alike, the Dorling Kindersley Handbook of Fossils explains what a fossil is, how fossils are classified, and how to start a collection. To help you in the initial stages of identification, the book provides a visual key that makes it easy to recognize a fossil and place it in its correct genus. Finally, a concise glossary gives instant understanding of technical and scientific terms.

Author Biography: Cyril Walker, an eminent paleontologist, was curator of fossil amphibians, reptiles, and birds at the Natural History Museum, London, for 30 years. In addition to organizing land leading many expeditions to collect material for scientific research he has also contributed to many books, including Garden Birds, Filed Guide to British Birds, Birds of the World, and Nature Notebooks.