A continent of butterflies

A review of Tom Tolman´s "Butterflies of Europe".

This is probably the definitive field guide to European butterflies. Although it contains several tributes to L.G. Higgins, N.D. Riley and their classical field guide published in 1970, this work is *much* better. Finally Higgins-Riley can be laid to rest! Not one moment to soon, I'd say.

"Butterflies of Europe" covers the butterflies found in Europe (minus Russia, Belarus and the Ukraine), the Canary Islands, the Azores, Madeira, and the northernmost parts of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The Greek-controlled islands of the Eastern Aegean are also included. All in all, 440 species are described in the book. One of them is the well-known North American Monarch butterfly, since it has successfully established itself in some areas of southern Europe!

There are 140 color plates in the book, showing both male and female butterflies, and the most common subspecies and forms. The plates show the butterflies both in the usual "pinched" position, and in a more natural position, with the underside of the wings visible. (Larvae are not shown.) The plates and the text are not on facing pages, but since many butterflies are very similar to each other, it's probably necessary to place as many of them as possible side by side, to aid identification. The color plates must therefore be in a different section of the book than the text pages.

Unfortunately, not all species or subspecies are illustrated. Some, including several East Aegean species, are only mentioned in the text. I'm still waiting for the day when somebody publishes a field guide where *everything* is illustrated. That's the point of a field guide, right?

The text contain information on range, distribution (including mountain altitude), variation within the species, flight-period, habitat and behaviour, and larvae host plants. Where the species have been recorded as a rare migrant is also mentioned. There are range maps for every species. Both the Latin and vernacular names are given. There is also a glossary of scientific terms at the end of the book.

The only possible negative with this book is that the approximate ranges of the various butterflies aren't mentioned on the color plates, which could lead to some confusion if a rare species from, say, Africa is somewhat similar to a more common species from, say, Central Europe. Otherwise, I believe that Tom Tolman and his illustrator Richard Lewington have out-done themselves. Exit Higgins & Riley, LOL.