Ordering July '98 National Geographic

["Ralph Miller III" <gbabcock@best.com>]

Some of you, no doubt, would like to get a copy of the July 1998 _National
Geographic_ magazine (the one with Brian Cooley's _Caudipteryx_ model on
the cover).  For those of you who haven't seen it, the magazine also has a
photo of Brian Cooley's _Sinosauropteryx_ model; illustrations of the
"evolution of a wing," "the path to birds," and "comparing dinosaurs and
birds;" and photos of specimens of _Caudipteryx_, _Protarchaeopteryx_,
_Sinosauropteryx_, _Confuciusornis_, and the nestling bird from Spain.  For
the literate among you, there's an article, too.  8^)

It is true that _National Geographic_ magazine is basically available only
by subscription (or "membership," as they like to say), as evidenced by the
absence of a printed price on the cover.  Exceptional bookstores have been
known to sell it, but this is exceedingly rare.  But wait!  (And I do mean
wait)!  You can order a single issue (or multiple single issues) from the
National Geographic Society.

If you live in the USA, you can reach the NGS ordering department at
1-800-437-5521, and request the above-named issue.  The one catch is that
these are not yet available as back issues.  I ordered mine anyway, and was
told that the July issue would become available as a back issue in
approximately one month, at which time the issue can be shipped out.  The
actual delivery (to destinations within the continental US) will require an
additional 1-3 weeks, so if you order it today, it should arrive by
mid-August (in the continental US).  The price per issue is $5.00, but
additional taxes and shipping costs may be required as well.

For international ordering information, locate the National Geographic
Society at <www.nationalgeographic.com>, then click on <NGS Store>, then
click on <single issues>, and go from there.  Of course, the web site only
offers issues up to March 1998 (!), but, as I have said, you can preorder
the July issue now.  Yes, it seems you will have to wait a while to
actually get it, but you will get it.  Patience, dear readers.  Think how
long John H. Ostrom had to wait to see such things!

-- Ralph Miller III     gbabcock@best.com