Most books covering the natural world now use Latin names in referring to individual species. This welcome trend enables a species to be identified, regardless of its common name, and is applicable throughout the world. However, most people have little or no idea what the Latin names mean, or indeed why the names are given.

Many natural historians and biologists, although fully conversant with the Latin names of the species in which they are interested, are unable to explain the reasoning behind these names.

This book is an attempt to remedy this situation. Of the thousands of species of reptiles, birds and mammals included in this book, most have been selected because they are well known, and some because they are rare, or even on the point of extinction. This extensive coverage means that Latin Names Explained will be of practical everyday use to anyone interested in natural history.

The first section of the book explains the system of classification started by the Swedish naturalist Linnaeus - Carl von Linne - during the eighteenth century, and which became known as the Binominal System. It then sets out the Orders and Families of reptiles, birds and mammals and describes the meaning of the Latin names of over 4000 individual species. There is a translation of the Latin name, and a brief explanation of the reason for giving a species that particular name.

There are also separate indexes for reptiles, birds and mammals that give the common and Latin names of all the species included in the book.