fertilization process and its biological conditions in specific groups of organisms (see contents 

 above). Ample attention is devoted to biochemical and immunological aspects. An attempt has 

 been made to bring together the literature from a wide variety of specializations, and to 

 point out leads for future research. 



The book is dedicated to the memory of Albert Tyler, who played an important part in the 

 planning of these two volumes. The book is opened by a memorial tribute to Tyler by the 

 editors. 



The chapter bibliographies are as up to date as possible. In addition seven of the chapters 

 have addenda outlining new findings published until early 1969. The book is beautifully 

 printed and illustrated. 



Monographs 



84 



THE PHYSIOLOGY OF INSECT REPRODUCTION. 1970. By F. ENGELMANN 



Pergamon Press, Oxford. International series of monographs in pure and applied biology, vol. 



44. 320 pp., 86 figs., 10 tabs., subject index. ISBN 08 015559 6. £ 7.50, $18.75 



Contents: 1. The genitalia; 2. Sex determination; 3. Parthenogenesis; 4. Sex differentiation; 

 5. Gonadal development; 6. Mating; 7. Factors that effect egg production and fecundity; 8. 

 Hormonal control of egg maturation; 9. Endocrine influence on reproduction in the male 

 insect; 10. Oviposition; 11. Heterogony; 12. Viviparity; 13. Functional hermaphroditism; 14. 

 Insect societies; 15. Glossary 



This authoritative and comprehensive monograph can be of great help as a work of reference 

 to those working on insect developmental biology who have no time or opportunity to fami- 

 liarize themselves with the vast and widely scattered literature on insect reproduction. The 

 book is not suitable for beginning students, because of the concentrated style and because 

 knowledge of the current terminology is presupposed. The recent literature is covered till 

 1968, but much of the older literature is also reviewed. 



The chapters which are of the most immediate interest to developmental biologists are 

 chs. 2 through 5 (together occupying 49 pages), and ch. 12 on viviparity (10 pp.). Ch. 5 has 

 separate sections on oocyte differentiation and vitellogenesis. 



The book is well produced and beautifully illustrated. Most of the figures taken from other 

 sources have been redrawn. There is a useful but rather concise glossary. The bibliography 

 covers 53 pages. The index is complete as to species, but rather restricted as to subjects. 

 There is no author index. 



85 



ANIMAL GAMETES (Female), a morphological and cytochemical account of yolk formation in 



oogenesis. 1968. By V. NATH 



Asia Publishing House, London. 215 pp., 200 figs., author and subject indexes. $ 17.— 



This monograph is essentially a compilation of a wealth of material gathered from many 

 sources. It is a sequel to the author's "Animal Gametes (Male)" published in 1965, in which 

 he dealt with spermatogenesis in a similar manner. In this book the approach is again that 

 of the morphologist rather than of the ceh biologist. The emphasis is on the detailed descript- 

 ion and chemical characterization of the constituents of the developing oocyte in relation 

 to the problem of yolk formation. The results of classical histological studies, cytochemical 

 work, and ultrastructural analysis are compared and evaluated while adhering to a more or 

 less strict taxonomic subdivision. This makes the book particularly suitable as a work of 

 reference. 



The successive chapters are devoted to nuclear and nucleolar emissions, the yolk nucleus, 

 the Golgi apparatus and lipids (four chapters, together taking up nearly half of the text), the 

 mitochondria, the compound yolk and the role of accessory cells in its formation, and finally 

 micropinocytosis and its role in the iricorporation of extra-ovarian proteins. 



The 200 figures and plates are brought together at the end of the text and are printed on 

 glossy paper. The far greater majority are line drawings from many different sources; they are 

 well reproduced, but it is irritating that the lettering is not always explained completely. The 

 photomicrographs and electron-micrographs have not come out so well, and particularly the 

 latter often compare unfavourably with the originals. 



The book is concluded by a nine-page bibliography in which most titles are older than 1966. 

 The quality of the paper and binding is not very good, but the price is surprisingly low. 



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