Nonetheless, it is unique in that it truly portrays dinosaurs from a specialist viewpoint. It is the only comprehensive text that takes an explicitly phylogenetic approach to this group. The geological context of dinosaurs is also stressed, and dinosaurs are presented in the context of contemporary plate tectonic and climatic settings. The authors also cover topics of interest in dinosaur palaeobiology, 'hot-blooded' dinosaurs, aspects of dinosaur functional morphology and the relationships of dinosaurs to birds. All of the discussion is couched in lively and accessible language, and the book is lavishly illustrated by specially commissioned line drawings and colour plates that show dinosaurs in a variety of natural settings.

    Biplanes buffeted by gales in the Himalayas; shootouts between bandits and paleontologists on the Mongolian Steppes; priceless art treasures and manuscripts found along the ancient Silk Road -- these are among the real-life adventures recorded in The Alluring Target."Wimmel, a retired U.S. Foreign Service officer, discusses Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, English braggart celebrity adventurer Arnold Henry Savage Landor, French mystic Alexandra David Neel, and dashing American scientist-explorer Roy Chapman Andrews (who is said to be the model for Indiana Jones)". -- Library Journal

    Discusses the least known member of the dinosaur family the carnivorous raptors, describes their habits, and the most recent advances in dinosaur paleontolgy.

    Long ago, a fish made its way out of the ocean and onto dry land. It was one small step for a fish, but one giant leap for fishkind—and it led to all sorts of interesting creatures like, well, people. Yes, RAPTORS, FOSSILS, FINS & FANGS dares to say the "e" word to children: that's evolution. That's life. After all, it's the lucky fish who gets the cheeseburger.From the Trade Paperback edition.

    Introduces dinosaurs, discussing the different categories, what they looked like, what they ate, how we know about them through the study of fossils, and why they may have become extinct.

    Readers travel along with the scientists as they make a spectacular find, then travel back to the museum to learn how a dinosaur skeleton is preserved and studied. Full-color photos throughout.

    Noted for his flamboyant appearance--marked by a striking array of horns over the nose and eyes, a long bony frill at the back of the head, and an assortment of lumps and bumps for attracting females--this herbivore displayed remarkable strength in its ability to fight off Tyrannosaurus rex. It was also among the last dinosaurs to walk the earth. In telling us about Triceratops and its relatives, the Ceratopsia, Peter Dodson here re-creates the sense of adventure enjoyed by so many scientists who have studied them since their discovery in the mid-nineteenth century. From the badlands of the Red Deer River in Alberta to the Gobi Desert, Dodson pieces together fossil evidence to describe the ceratopsians themselves--their anatomy, biology, and geography--and he evokes the human dimension of their discovery and interpretation. An authoritative survey filled with many original illustrations, this book is the first comprehensive presentation of horned dinosaurs for the general reader. Dodson explains first the fascinating ways in which the ceratopsians dealt with their dangerous environment. There follows a lesson on ceratopsian bone structure, which enables the reader quickly to grasp the questions that still puzzle scientists, concerning features such as posture, gait, footprints, and diet. Dodson evenhandedly discusses controversies that continue, for example, over sexual dimorphism and the causes of the dinosaurs' disappearance. Throughout his narrative, we are reminded that dinosaur study is a human enterprise. We meet the scientists who charmed New York high society into financing expeditions to Mongolia, home of Triceratops' predecessors, as well as those who used their poker winnings to sustain paleontology expeditions. Rich in fossil lore and in tales of adventure, the world of the Ceratopsia is presented here for specialists and general readers alike.Originally published in 1996.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.