cmbryolocjy in the early 1900s, when T. H. Morgan wrote his book on the 

 development of the frog egg. The data in this monograph have been restricted 

 to Rana pipiens in order to avoid species differences, and are mainly restricted 

 to the literature published after 1949. since Brachet in 1950 reviewed the literat- 

 ure up to that time. 



This monograph gives a comprehensive survey of the various data collected 

 on the physiological, biochemical and biophysical aspects of the development 

 of the frog egg. Methods used and results obtained have been discussed criti- 

 cally, and many problems have been pointed out to the reader. It shows on the 

 one hand the enormous progress this field of science has made during the last 

 decade, but on the other hand how little is known of the leading principles in 

 development. 



Although this monograph is particularly meant for specialists working in this 

 field, and can therefore have such a specialized character, we feel that the 

 development of the morphological structure to which the physiological, biochem- 

 ical and biophysical processes are spatially bound, has received too little 

 attention in this work. Only the synthesis of form and function can bring us to 

 an understanding of the fundamental problems of development. 



P. D. NIEUWKOOP 



"THE EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE STURGEONS 



(ACIPENSER STELLATUS. A. GuLDENSTADTI COLCHICUS AND 



HUSO HUSO) IN CONNECTION WITH PROBLEMS 



OF BREEDING." (Title translated from Russian) 



1954 



by T. A. Detlaf and A. S. Hinsburg Edited by S. G. Kryzhanovskil 

 216 pp. with 51 figs in the text, 14 pis Published by the Acad, of Sciences 

 and 18 tabs of the USSR, Moscow, on behalf of 



the A.N. Severtsof Inst, of Animal 

 Morphol. 



The large scale upon which waterworks are made in Russia opens great 

 possibilities for fish-culture, but raises at the same time a number of difficult 

 questions which have to be solved without delay. The canalization of the Don, 

 Volga and Kura has cut off many fish species, including the sturgeons, from 

 their spawning-grounds. It has become very urgent to develop breeding 

 methods, e.g. for sturgeons. A better knowledge of the development of the 

 sturgeons therefore formed a general requirement. 



The first chapter of this Russian monograph gives a short description of the 

 taxonomy and biology of the sturgeons based upon data from the literature. 

 The second chapter gives literature data on the development and maturation 

 of eggs and sperm. In the third chapter the development of the three sturgeon 

 species mentioned in the title has been described extensively. This part of the 

 book has more or less the character of a normal table with a series of plates 

 of 36 successive stages. The fourth chapter treats the rate of development at 

 different temperatures. The fifth chapter gives data on external conditions 

 necessary for a normal development. Here also the deviations are described 

 which may appear after changes in the external conditions. Finally the last 

 chapter gives an analysis of the causes leading to death of the eggs or to a 

 failure of fertilization. 



194 



