<i>The Mammals of China and Mongolia</i> by Grover M. Allen, Ph.D. is one thick book at 667 pages but is merely the first part of 2 volumes. This apparently is due to the fact that the subject matter covers a wide range of fauna found in a vast geographical area - information that cannot be contained in a single publication alone.<br><br>Aside from the voluminous number of pages, the text it contains is quite small, at least smaller than those used in literary novels. With that being said, one could imagine the large amount of information squeezed into this authoritative and scientific work. As such, this is one rich reference material for museum curators, collectors of mammals from the Asian region, zoologists, naturalists, and students studying fauna from the said area.<br><br>Dr. Allen examines the subject with an exacting eye, providing many specific details and facts relating to the topic at hand. He also provides a number of photographs of the locations and animals he speaks of, as well as maps and measurement tables. Despite the smallness of the print, the text is easy to view and read because it is grouped into paragraphs of decent lengths. The author also employed headings and subheadings in differentiating information regarding a specific animal.<br><br>This is an exhaustive book that encompasses mammals from various orders, such as insectivores, bats, lemurs and monkeys, carnivores (including pandas), seals and sea lions, whales, dolphins, and porpoises, pangolins, and gnawing mammals. Although Dr. Allen's research was published in 1938, it remains an essential scientific reference.