viii PREFACE 



idea of what an author owes to his readers, in respect to precision; but 

 in a subject Hke this, it is exceedingly difficult to correct every mis- 

 take, and still more to avoid omissions. 



Perhaps most importantly we regard this book as an effort to 

 consider perspectives in biochemical systematics. In this sense it is 

 written for the future. An encyclopedic compendium of biochemical 

 data organized in a taxonomic framework is badly needed. However, 

 the writers see no relationship between such a work and our present 

 endeavor. 



Ralph E. Alston 

 B. L. Turner 



