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Reviews: James A. Scott The Butterflies of North America This 583 page volume describes and illustrates most of the butterflies found on the North American continent. After a brief introduction, the first hundred or so pages cover the biology and ecology of butterflies, ranging over a host of topics like structure, life cycles and metamorphosis, physiology, reproduction, migration and feeding habits. This is followed by a section on identification, which includes keys to larvae, pupae, and adult butterflies. The third section consists of species descriptions, which make up the bulk of the volume. Each species, along with variants, receives full treatment of physical characteristics. Where available, developmental, ecological, and behavioral data are presented. The species descriptions are followed by two short appendices, the first on island butterflies, and the second on techniques for the study of butterflies. There is also an index, hostplant catalogue, glossary, and list of references. One feature of the book that I particularly like is that the 60-odd color plates depicting adult butterflies are arranged by appearance, not taxonomic classification. This makes it much easier for the novice to identify a butterfly because you can go straight to the photos which most resemble your specimen and find all the possibilities gathered together. That's not to say that butterfly identification is always a straightforward matter. I'm convinced that the more intensely a group of animals or plants is studied, the finer the distinctions that taxonomists draw between different forms. If I'm right, butterflies have been subjected to a LOT of study, because some of the characteristics used to separate species are very subtle indeed. In any case, the photographs will get you in the general neighborhood, and the detailed written descriptions of species characters found in the text should help you put correct names on your subjects. In summary, this is an excellent volume that thoroughly covers its subject matter and belongs in the library of everyone who is interested in North American butterflies. It is the first volume I reach for whenever I have a question about butterflies. Highly recommended. M. Habeck The Butterflies of North America, A Natural History and Field Guide Stanford University Press ISBN 0-8047-1205-0 (cloth) ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 (paper) Approx. 19cm wide X 25cm tall Purchase online.