Colophon

Our look is the result of reader comments, our own experimentation, and feedback from distribution channels. Distinctive covers complement our distinctive approach to technical topics, breathing personality and life into potentially dry subjects.

The animal on the cover of Programming ColdFusion MX, Second Edition is an Arctic tern. Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) are small birds, about 12 to 15 inches long, that make the longest migration of any avian on Earth. They breed in the Arctic tundra but fly to the edge of the Antarctic ice pack during the winter. An Arctic tern flies over 21,750 miles each year; it spends most of its life, about 20 years, flying.

The Arctic tern has webbed feet. The tail is long and forked, the legs are short and red, and the head is rounded and white with a black cap and a bright orange beak. Research has shown that Arctic terns don’t swim well and will do everything possible to stay out of the water. Even though their feet are webbed, they are small, so the birds swoop down, catch a fish, and eat it while flying.