The first chapter is called "Embryonic development as a communication 

 problem", and points out the possibilities of applying the concepts of infor- 

 mation theory to the problems of development. Then follow seven chapters 

 which provide a synthesis of what is known to-day from a morphological as 

 well as from a physiological point of view about the primary formation of 

 animal egg cells, about the successive stages of oogenesis, and about the ripe 

 unfertilized egg. The most recent data, obtained by means of cytochemistry, 

 tracers and electron microscopy, are included. The egg nucleus, the egg cyto- 

 plasm, the egg cortex and the auxiliary cells in the ovary are discussed 

 separately. 



On the basis of the data supplied in the preceding chapters, chapter IX 

 ("The storage of developmental information") provides estimates of the total 

 amounts of information which may theoretically be stored respectively in the 

 genome, the cytoplasm and the cortex of the egg. 



The last chapter is entitled "Information theory and biology", and is entirely 

 theoretical in character. The greater part is taken up by a critical discussion 

 of Elsasser's book "The physical foundation of biology" (1958). The chapter 

 is concluded by a discussion of the problem of finality in the light of infor- 

 mation theory. 



The book is adequately illustrated with good line drawings and some 

 photographic plates. It contains a bibliography of 21 pages, a taxonomic index, 

 and author and subject indexes. The book is well printed. 



"PHYSIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION AND ARTIFICIAL 

 INSEMINATION OF CATTLE" 



1961 



by G. W. Salisbury and W. H. Freeman & Cy. 



N. L. Van Demark San Francisco, Cal. 



639 pp., 171 figs., 73 tbs. Price: $ 12.50 



Although this book is directed primarily to agricultural and veterinary 

 practitioners, it is considered of interest to our readers, since it contains a 

 wealth of data on mammalian reproduction. One of the aims of the book is to 

 bring together the most important literature of the past three decades, so that 

 it will be very useful as a work of reference. 



Several chapters are of direct interest to mammalian embryologists. We will 

 not enumerate them here, but only say that gametogenesis, ovulation and 

 fertilization are treated rather extensively. The treatment of embryology proper 

 is limited in scope, and is based partly on data obtained in other mammals. 



The number of references quoted at the end of each chapter is indeed 

 considerable. Wherever possible review articles are quoted. The book is well 

 illustrated and provided with a very detailed subject index. 



"OVUM HUMANUM, 



Wachstum, Reifung, Ernahrung, Befruchtung und friihe Entwicklung" 



1960 

 by L. B. Shettles Urban & Schwarzenberg 



87 pp., 64 figs., 1 coloured plate Miinchen - Berlin 



Price: DM 20.— 



The present book is a photograpic atlas of the development of the human 

 egg prior to, and in the first week following ovulation. The majority of the 



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