The Natural History of Tassel-Eared Squirrels

Allred, S. 2010. The Natural History of Tassel-Eared Squirrels , University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 226 pp. ISBN 978-0-8263-4655-1, price (hardbound), $30. In his book The Natural History of Tassel-Eared Squirrels , Allred presents a comprehensive summary of the knowledge on Abert’s squirrels, Sciurus aberti . Its 13 chapters cover all aspects of the species’ life history characteristics, monitoring techniques, and management considerations. Most chapters include summary tables from the relevant literature, and 52 high-quality color plates show examples of behavior, feeding sign, diet, habitat, and historical importance to humans. This is a scientific reference written on a conspicuous species enjoyed by nonscientists, and Allred’s accessible style made it possible to produce a useful book for both audiences. In each chapter, Allred briefly introduces the history of relevant research and summarizes the current state of knowledge where appropriate. Chapters are organized into logical subheadings, and occasional 2nd-level headings take the form of a question (e.g., Is it the tree chemistry? under the subheading Selection of feeding trees ). Most chapters conclude with a section on future research, in which Allred lists areas deficient … Jonathan J. Derbridge, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; e-mail: derbridge{at}email.arizona.edu.