The Amphibians and Reptiles of Alberta

Francis R. Cook, formerly curator of the Canadian Museum of Nature’s
Herpetology Section, is currently researcher emeritus.

This joint publication completes the provincial guides that started
first in Ontario in 1937–39. It features accounts of 18 native Alberta
species, adds four that might occur, and provides functional
identification keys. Each account includes a spot distribution map of
Alberta records. Separate chapters give the characterization of
amphibians and reptiles in general and of the herpetofauna of Alberta in
particular, as well as zoogeography, natural history, “Coping with the
Cold,” “The Challenge of Aridity,” “Defence and Venoms,” and
“Man and the Herpetofauna.” Bibliographies include 943 entries, and
a glossary covers 76 technical terms. Twenty-eight superb color photos
by Wayne Lynch range in scope from individual species to major habitats;
black-and-white drawings by Irene McKinnon depict species and
structures, and diagram classifications. Black-and-white photos from
various contributors illustrate non-Albertan species.

There are a few drawbacks. The choice of some taxonomic names is barely
discussed; maps do not differentiate between various sources of records;
and no documentation (other than an occasional locality without
supporting data) is given for even peripheral records. Throughout the
text, facts are not individually referenced. The cluster of citations
provided at the conclusion of each account and chapter would necessitate
a long and irritating process of elimination for those determined to
check a fact new to them. This is particularly unfortunate in a text so
rich in published sources.

Despite these shortcomings, this is a comprehensive and attractively
produced reference for herpetologists, conservationists, naturalists,
and anyone else who wants upgraded knowledge on amphibians and reptiles,
and the adaptations that allow their survival in either the moderately
harsh and diverse climate of Alberta or the world at large. It should
draw a large audience both within and outside that province.