* objects.texi (Integer Type): Take note of the read syntax exception for numbers that cannot fit in the integer type.

2 files changed, 12 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/doc/lispref/ChangeLog b/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
index 755e83b65ef..1b9e028e598 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2010-03-06  Chong Yidong  <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
+
+        * objects.texi (Integer Type): Take note of the read syntax
+        exception for numbers that cannot fit in the integer type.
+
 2010-03-03  Glenn Morris  <rgm@gnu.org>
 
         * numbers.texi (Integer Basics, Bitwise Operations):
diff --git a/doc/lispref/objects.texi b/doc/lispref/objects.texi
index 26c17f09f0e..5c3ac13cdaf 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/objects.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/objects.texi
@@ -200,6 +200,13 @@ leading @samp{+} or a final @samp{.}.
 @end group
 @end example
 
+@noindent
+As a special exception, if a sequence of digits specifies an integer
+too large or too small to be a valid integer object, the Lisp reader
+reads it as a floating-point number (@pxref{Floating Point Type}).
+For instance, on most machines @code{536870912} is read as the
+floating-point number @code{536870912.0}.
+
   @xref{Numbers}, for more information.
 
 @node Floating Point Type