Wild Life: The Remarkable Lives of Ordinary Animals

In 50 brief essays, Kanze (Notes from New Zealand) explores the biology and behavior of North American wildlife. He writes about the mimicry of mockingbirds, the peculiar (and to humans, nasty) habits of the turkey vulture, about roadrunners and crows. In the section ``Fur and Wide,'' on mammals, he describes the pronghorn as the strangest mammal in North America, the lone survivor of a family that evolved here, thrived for eons, then disappeared. Other topics are the Eastern coyote, armadillos, bobcats, beavers and chipmunks. He turns to cold-blooded creatures (horseshoe crabs, toads, snakes) and to insects (beetles, butterflies and ant lions). The material is offered in lighthearted fashion and should be especially appealing to young readers with an interest in wildlife. Freelance illustrator Harper's 50 full-page drawings are delightful. (Sept.)