PAINTED BIRDS AT POMPEII

The wail-paintings in the houses at Pompeii and in other Campanian tow ns can provide evidence for the birds that were known in Italy in the first centuries BC and ao, because they are pain;ed with remarkable ac curacy. However, the paintings as total works of art must not be inter preted in too realistic a manner because the flora and fauna are often combined in an ideal setting. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.