You have to have an actual caption, like this:
 
.. _`"Max leaned forward to examine the face of the rock; and as he did so, he was seized suddenly from behind"`:
 
.. figure:: images/img-front.jpg
   :align: center
   :alt: "MAX LEANED FORWARD TO EXAMINE THE FACE OF THE ROCK; AND AS HE DID SO, HE WAS SEIZED SUDDENLY FROM BEHIND."
 
   "MAX LEANED FORWARD TO EXAMINE THE FACE OF THE ROCK; AND AS HE DID SO, HE WAS SEIZED SUDDENLY FROM BEHIND."
 
The first line above is the link target from the List of Illustrations, then the figure block itself with its two attributes, and the last line is the caption. 
 
Al
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: gutvol-d-bounces@lists.pglaf.org [mailto:gutvol-d-bounces@lists.pglaf.org] On Behalf Of James Simmons
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 11:40 AM
To: Gutenberg Volunteers
Subject: [gutvol-d] [Illustration] tag in plain text from RST?

It looks like RST does not create [Illustration] tags in plain text files.  For instance, I use this:

.. image:: images/bhagap011.png
   :alt: A diagram of concentric circles with P at the center and M' the outermost, with the Key below working inwards.

hoping to get this in my plain text file:

[Illustration: A diagram of concentric circles with P at the center and M' the outermost, with the Key below working inwards.]

but instead I get no [Illustration] tag at all.

James Simmons