Why Do Animals Do That?

Patrick Colgan is the former executive director of the Canadian Museum
of Nature.

These two concise and effectively illustrated books feature a good
variety of educational and attention-grabbing vignettes of animal
behavior. Among the illustrations is a splendid depiction of a mating
pair of roadrunners sharing the nuptial gift of a dead lizard. Such
topics as hibernation, migration, mimicry, scents, symbiosis, and
pheromones are discussed in conjunction with species ranging from bees
to whales. The status of “instinct” is unclear in contemporary
research, and it is refreshing to see the author acknowledging
scientific ignorance on this question. Each of the books includes a
useful glossary and index. Both are highly recommended.