THE ISLAND: A NATURAL HISTORY OF VANCOUVER ISLAND Tim Fitzharris. Toronto, Oxford University Press, c1983. 134pp, cloth, $24.95. ISBN 0-19-540392-4. Grades 6 and up. Reviewed by Alfred F. Greenwood. Volume 12 Number 1 1984 January Vancouver Island is noted for its mild climate, its scenery, Butchart's Gardens, and the huge trees of Cathedral Grove. What is not so well-recognized is its size, some 450 x 120 kilometers, its rugged-ness, mountains to 2200 meters, and the variety and splendour of its flora and fauna. In The Island, Tim Fitzharris attempts to set down "a personal record of the island's wildness as it exists in 1983," as, "certainly it will not be the same ten years from now." The author's endeavour is a resounding success. He divides Vancouver Island into three regions: "The Edge," "Forest and Woodland," and "The Alpland." A map illustrates these divisions, then explores the fish and fowl, animal and plant life of each. An informative, thought-provoking text and some of the best nature photography this reader has seen enhances' the author's reputation as one of the most widely-published wildlife photographers in North America. Tim Fitzharris's work has been featured by the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the National Audubon Society and the National Wildlife Federation. He taught photography at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. He now lives in Victoria. The Island is highly recommended as a reference book for schools and libraries and to all lovers of the magic moment captured on film. Alfred F. Greenwood, Victoria, BC.