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Title: National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Seashells (National Audubon Society Field Guides)
ISBN: 0394519132
Author:
NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY
Publicate Date: 1981-08-12
Publish: 1981-08-12
List Price: $19.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Turtleback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $4.00
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $3.97
Amazon Merchant Price: $13.57
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Great guide, preferred older book layout
I buy the Audubon books for my young son and I. We both enjoy using them often when we've spotted an animal, plant, insect or just about anything that we want to identify. Many times I have spotted my son with his nose buried in our old book searching for a picture to match a bug he has found. We both also agree that we like the layout of our older Audubon book where the picture and the information on that picture are on the same page. Much quicker than the new book layout where you must find a connecting page to read about your subject.
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2: a decent field guide for any beachcomber or shell collector
As with all the Audubon Field Guides, so too with this one. The color plates are the best in the "field" of field guides; these photos are indispensable for any beachcomber or shell collector.
The durable leatherette cover and heavy duty book binding make this a book that can stand up to alot of wear and tear.
The descriptive information is generally good; where the text starts to show deficiencies is in the range, habitat, and summary sections of each shell. The information is vague and merely glosses over critical facts that should be included. I can only assume it's the usual story of not enough space for the editors to include more relevant information.
The index is cross referenced to the color plates; this is a big plus when in the field trying to do identifications. Pretty straight forward as far as using this as a tool to increase one's knowledge.
All in all, this book is very helpful and deserves a place in any beachcomber's library.
The Cloud Reckoner
Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts
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3: Seashells- Field guide.
I like to photograph beach objects and was looking for a book to identify them. This is an excellent source. It is well organized and the photographs are excellent.
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4: The National Audubon Society Field Guide To Shells
This book does an unusually fine job of including lots of info without becoming too bulky and cumbersome to carry in the field. Photos of the 700+ specimens measure a compact 3.5 X 2 inches. Most show front and back of the shell, a big help since they differ so much. Sometimes if a species varies a lot there are multiple specimens. Write-ups of species are on much thinner paper than the photos, helping to keep the book's size down. They include 1) detailed descriptions pointing out both variations and consistencies from one shell to another of that species, 2) a short note on habitat, 3) another on range 4) and sometimes added info that doesn't fit into those categories. I bought this book to identify three shells I saw in California. Two of them were in it. This is a great little book that I wouldn't want to be without.
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5: Ultimate shell reference.
The Audubon Guide to Seashells is one of the best known and most reliable field references. Whether beachcombing, snorkeling over a reef, or searching a tidepool, this guide will come in handy for all those locations. Many seashells are listed in this guide, coming out at more than 600 in all. The shells are a feast for the eyes, coming in all shapes, colors, and patterns. The best and most admirable family covered are the Limpets. From dull green to stunning black and white striped, this is the most detailed and beautiful family listed in the book. Cone snails are also covered very well. The main question here is: Why does the book have negative ratings? Flipping to the back for details may be tiresome for lazy readers. There is nothing unprofessional about the book in any way. It VERY professional and a good recommendation.
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