Written by one Europe's leading ornithologists and illustrated by two of the world's finest bird illustrators - Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom (with a translation by David Christie). Covering Britain and Europe, the book provides all the information needed to identify any species at any time of year, with detailed text on size, habitat, range, identification and voice.
Accompanying every species entry is a distribution map and colour illustrations (over 3500 in all) to show the species in all the major plumages (male, female, immature, in flight, at rest, feeding). The book is fully integrated, so that all this information appears on one spread, the ideal structure for use in the field. Each group of birds has an introduction, which covers the major problems involved in identifying or seeing them: how to organise a sea watching trip, how to separate birds of prey in flight, which duck hybrids can be confused with which species etc.
The second edition will have expanded text and additional colour illustrations.

During the two centuries before 841, the Japanese Court borrowed a large amount of secular entertainment music from China, chiefly music of the Sui and Tang Courts. This music, known as 'Tang Music' is preserved in manuscripts written between the eighth and thirteenth centuries and to be seen today in the library of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and in other Japanese libraries. Fourteen items, from the second scroll of pieces belonging to the Ichikotsu-cho mode-key group (Mixolydian on D), are offered in this fourth fascicle of Music from the Tang Court. With the exception of two items, each consisting of Prelude and Broaching, all are single movements. The first piece, in two movements, is overtly linked with Sogdiana, the Central Asian State which exerted so great an influence on the entertainment-music of the Tang Court. That some of the Togaku repertory had its roots in popular music is plainly shown by the title of this piece: 'Sogdians Drinking Wine'.