169 



behaviour in fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and infrahuman mammals. 

 However inexhaustive. this chapter is exceedingly readable and stimulating 

 owing to the clear and at the same time critical account of the work of the 

 various authors, as well as to the attention paid to theoretical backgrounds. 



The main portion of the book is formed by a survey of the methods and 

 results of the extensive and interesting researches carried out on human fetuses 

 by the author and his co-workers at the Pittsburg School of Medicine, from 

 1932 onwards. 



Whereas the first part of the book deals only with what the author calls 

 "overt" (externally visible) behaviour, in Chapter III some interesting 

 considerations are given to the relations of behaviour with the internal (mor- 

 phological and physiological) organization of the mammahan embryo and fetus. 

 The principal points dealt with on the basis of a discussion of recent researches 

 in this field, are the following: Morphological development and function of 

 embryonic muscle; Development of reflex pathways; Types of initial reflexes 

 (with a discussion of Sherrington's concept of the "simple reflex" and a 

 critical discussion of the concepts of Windle and his associates); Effects of 

 anoxia and asphyxia; Intra-uterine respiration; Function of kidneys, ahmentary 

 tract and endocrine organs. 



A fundamental question playing a role in the entire book is the controversy 

 between the "Coghilhan" concept of the development of behaviour (the "total 

 pattern" idea) and the "Windehan" viewpoint (the idea of "successive addition 

 of simple reflexes"), which has in particular been appHed to mammals. The 

 author appears to be inchned towards the Coghilhan hne of thought, even 

 in the case of mammals, where he bases himself largely on his own researches 

 on the human fetus. 



The book contains a reference list presenting the most important older 

 and recent literature, an index of names, and a very useful subject index. 



J. FABER 



..PROBLEMS OF MORPHOGENESIS IN CILIATES" 



(The kinetosomes in development, reproduction and evolution) 



1950 



by A. Lwoff Volume of the Wiley Biol. Research series 



103 pp. with 32 figs John Wiley & Sons Inc., New York 



Chapman 6 Hall, Ltd, London 

 price: $ 3.50 



The author directs our attention on a ve, fascinating problem of Hfe, the 

 problem of self-reproduction, so well known for chromosomes and their con- 

 stituents. This property of self-reproduction is however not restricted to the 

 nucleus but also exists in the protoplasm, viz. e.g. in the so called kinetosomes, 

 so characteristic for Cihates and other organisms. The kinetosomes do not 

 form an irreversibly differentiated system, but can dedifferentiate into a plastic, 

 self-reproducible system which is genetically controlled. One of their most 

 interesting properties is their polyvalency. They can form ciha, flagellum, 

 fibers, trichocysts, etc. These structures are rigid formations, but they can 

 undergo dedifferentiation. 



In terms of Weiss' concept of "molecular ecology" the author tries to 

 substantiate this purely theoretical concept in the properties and behaviour 



