According to the Bartletts, some 147 species and subspecies of snakes live between the hot dry deserts of the Mexican border and the frigid slopes and valleys of Alaska, and between verge of the Great Plains into the foothills of the Rockies and the middle of the Pacific. For each one, they discuss its abundance and range, its habitat, features by which to identify it, and similar species and how to tell them apart. They also provide color photographs and distribution maps. Included are the two species from Hawaii, the one from Alaska, and 16 from western Canada. Herpetologist herpeculturalist R. D. and biologist and historian Patricia are mapping the continent with the guides to reptiles and amphibians. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)