19 



fact almost grown into a treatise on the principles of gene physiology, elucidated 

 on the basis of examples furnished mainly by the group of lethal factors. 

 Indeed, the only thing one is inclined to regret is the fact that the author 

 has not proceeded to write a handbook covering the entire field of gene 

 physiology. However, the theoretical basis of the book is so broad that one 

 may safely say that it will be for many years to come one of the principal 

 guides for everyone working in the field of gene physiology. The author 

 deserves gratitude in particular for his clear terminology and for his careful 

 and critical discussion of the fundamental problems and the scope of this 

 field of science. 



The book offers a wealth of information to the geneticist, the pathologist, 

 and the embryologist. The latter will profit particularly by the chapters XI 

 to XVII (128 pages), which discuss such subjects as phase specificity of lethal 

 action, cell and organ specificity, pleiotropy, cell autonomy, phenocopy, and 

 biochemical and physiological phenes. 



The book is concluded by an additional glossary, to be used in conjunction 

 with the alphabetical index. The bibliography covers 25 pages. The illustrations 

 are excellent, not least because all figures taken over from other authors have 

 been carefully redrawn, which has resulted in a pleasant uniformity of style. 

 The appearance of the book meets the high standard common to all books 

 published by this firm. 



J. FABER 



"FERTILIZATION" 

 1956 

 by Lord Rothschild Methuen & Co. Ltd, London 



170 pp. with 5 pis and 30 diagrs John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York 



Price: 18 s. 



Owing to the size limits imposed on this monograph on fertilization the 

 following subjects had to be omitted: aberrant fertilization in the decapod 

 Crustacea and in sponges, aster formation and origin of the first cleavage 

 amphiaster, andro- and gynogenesis, merogony, parthenogenesis and fertili- 

 zation in plants. 



On the basis of the normal morphology of the fertilization process (chapter 1 ) 

 and the metabolism of eggs (chapters 5 and 6), the metabolic and other changes 

 at fertilization are listed in 25 main points and several sub-points in chapter 7, 

 showing how complex the process must be. This becomes still more impressive 

 when also the physical changes arc discussed in chapters 8 and 10. The role 

 of sperm-egg interacting substances is extensively discussed in chapters 2, 3 

 and 4, while the problem of polyspermy is finally treated in chapter 9. 

 A separate chapter has been devoted to the specificity of fertilization. In the 

 concluding chapter 12 the author indicates a number of subjects for further 

 investigation, which seem of special interest for a better understanding of the 

 process of fertilization. 



The fact that no bock on fertilization has appeared in the last twenty-five 

 years justifies the appearance of this monograph. The very extensive list of 

 references, which represents only a selection from an even more extensive 

 literature, demonstrates the great need for this short, but nevertheless com- 

 prehensive monograph, which will be welcomed by many scientists. 



P. D. NIEUWKOOP 



