Atlases are now frequently published and can cover every conceivable subject. Originally referring to the gigantic figure of Atlas carrying the terrestrial globe they began to include maps of vegetation, climate, the heavens, and eventually matters unconnected with geography. The atlas has become very successful as a means of organising and exhibiting information mainly because of the advances in graphics and photography but there is also another element. Just as we have become familiar with the better known ‘sound bite’ the atlas gives us a similar type of ‘visual bite’ …