Putting Biodiversity on the M a p : priority areas for global conservation. By C. J. Bibby, N. J. Collar, M . J. Crosby, M. F. Heath, Ch. I m b o d e n , T. H . J o h n s o n , A. J. Long, A. J. Stattersfield & S. J. Thirgood. International Council for Bird Preservation, Cambridge, 1992. 9(1 pages; 42 colour plates; numerous maps and histograms. Paperback £12.50.This book represents (he results of the ICBP : s Biodiversity Project. 'Biodiversity', we are told, 'is the total variety of life on earth.' Birds are good indicators of biodiversity, since important areas for birds arc generally also important for plants and other animals. Given this, the book details 221 Endemic Bird Areas, the survival of which is crucial for global biodiversity conservation. There is a brief chapter explaining the project's methodology, followed by a global overview of results. This contains some remarkable statistics such as the ("act that 2 6 % of the world's birds are confined to the 221 EBAs, which occupy just 5 % of the land surface. This overview is then broken down into more detailed regional accounts. This very readable, well-designed document is a credit to the ICBP. Thanks to clear presentation, the wealth of facts and figures is easy to assimilate. It is essential reading lor anyone interested in birds and their conservation. S'l'KVK R o O K l .Les Oiseaux R a r e s e n France. By