Currey O. Neil Libri

The animals and birds of the Australian continent are truly unique. Here, some of Nature’s most ancient creatures —the furred platypus and the spined echidna, which lay eggs yet suckle their young—still survive. Australia is the stronghold of the marsupials: remarkable animals like the koala, the kangaroos and the possums, all of which nurture their young in the mother’s pouch. It is also a continent rich in birds of immense variety and unusual adaptations, home of the spectacular lyrebird, with its ritual dances and incredible vocal mimicry; the cockatoos, one of the most fascinating groups of all the world’s parrots; the flightless emu. The lives and habits of these creatures have intrigued scientists for two hundred years. They are expertly described and illustrated in this book by Australia’s leading naturalist-photographers.