A special and particularly successful aspect of the book are its illustrations. Important 

 principles and experiments are illustrated with whole- or double-page diagrams, often on a 

 comparative basis, which use perspective and colour to great advantage (understandably, 

 some over-simplification has sometimes been unavoidable). The book is well produced 

 and is concluded by a brief but adequate reading list of books. 



5. 



H. W. SAUER. 1974. ENTWICKLUNGSBIOLOGIE; Experimente an Eiern und Pilzen 

 Universitatsverlag, Konstanz. Konstanzer Universitatsreden nr. 68. 68 pp., 8 figs., 1 tab. 

 DM 22.80 (paper) 



This little book contains the revised text of the author's inaugural lecture presented in 

 1973. It is written in a somewhat popularizing style and, rather than presenting a rounded 

 picture, highhghts a few basic unsolved questions in developmental biology. These are 

 illustrated with experiments on insect eggs and two simple model systems: Dictyostelium 

 and Physarum. The lecture could be useful as collateral reading for students. It has a good 

 selective bibliography. 



6. 



M. SUSSMAN. 1973. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, its cellular and molecular founda- 

 tions 



Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs. Foundations of Modern Biology Series. XVIII, 297 pp., 

 143 figs., 8 tabs., subject index. $ 12.95 (cloth), $ 6.95 (paper) 



Contents: I. The molecular basis of phenotypic alterations: 1. Genes and proteins: a 

 review; 2. How proteins are synthesized: another review; 3. Simple physiological 

 modulations: transient changes in gene expression and protein function; II. The growth 

 of cells and cell populations: 1. The cell growth and division cycle: a developmental 

 program common to all cells; 2. The growth of animal, plant, and microbial cell 

 populations; HI. A survey of developmental programs: 1. Developmental programs in 

 solitary microorganisms; 2. The cellular slime molds, a group of colonial microorga- 

 nisms; 3. The development of primitive animals, coelenterates, and nematodes; 4. The 

 vertebrate embryo: I; 5. The vertebrate embryo: II; IV. The frontiers: 1. Morphogene- 

 sis: the acquisition of form in biological systems; 2. The inheritance of differentiative 

 capacity I: some genetic puzzles; 3. The inheritance of differentiative capacity II: 

 cancer; 4. Differential gene expression during development 



Because this textbook dates from 1973 we only briefly announce it here. The book is 

 written in a very personal and captivating style, and surveys the developmental cycles of a 

 wide variety of organisms with much emphasis on cell-biological and molecular-genetic 

 aspects. It is suitable for both beginning and more advanced students, as the table of 

 contents will show. The illustrations are good and there are useful lists of supplementary 

 and advanced readings. 



7. 



L. WOLPERT. 1974. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PATTERN AND FORM IN ANIMALS 



Oxford Univ. Press, London. Oxford Biology Readers No. 51. 16 pp., 16 figs. 30 p 

 (paper) 



This is a well-written introduction mainly into the author's own influential (though 

 not universally accepted) ideas on the subject. The account is free from parochialism and 

 is clearly illustrated. 



193 



