organizers brought together a truly representative group of specialists in the field of sex 

 determination. 



The 18 papers read and the discussions following them are recorded. Most papers are a 

 happy mixture of review and research report, prepared with great care and subdivided into 

 surveyable sections. They range in lenght from two to 22 very large pages, and are ideally suited 

 to update one's knowledge of the major aspects of the field, such as the genetics and pheno- 

 genetics, the embryology, and the endocrinology of sex determination and differentiation. 

 Some attention is also devoted to neural, psychobiological, clinical, and reproductive aspects. 

 The treatment is largely restricted to the vertebrates. 



Most papers have extensive bibliographies, and many are beautifully illustrated. All photo- 

 micrographs are printed on glossy paper. There are no indexes. The price of the issue seems 

 excessive. 



22 



THE POST-NATAL DEVELOPMENT OF PHENOTYPE. 1970. Edited by S. KAZDA and H. DENEN- 



BERG 



Academia, Prague and Butterworths, London. 420 pp., 224 figs., 54 tabs., subject index. ISBN 



407 96250 6. £ 8.— 



This volume contains the proceedings of a Symposium held in Liblice in September 1967. 

 It had 50 participants, half of whom were Czechs, while twelve came from the U.S.A. and the 

 remainder from various other countries. Most of the participants were physiologists, endocri- 

 nologists, and pharmacologists, but paediatricians and psychologists were also present. The 

 Symposium therefore was a truly interdisciplinary one. Its chairman was M. A. McCance, 

 Cambridge. 



The 32 research papers deal with an extremely broad range of experimental approaches 

 using mainly laboratory and domestic mammals; two papers deal with the human subject. 

 Most of the research reported was on the effects on postnatal growth, development, and 

 behaviour of a variety of factors acting from just before to some time after birth. Among the 

 factors investigated were weaning, handling and some other forms of stimulation and stress, 

 hormone injection, nutrition, and some drugs. Their action on the organism as a whole as well 

 as on various organ systems was studied. Most papers are followed by group discussions. 



A key concept playing a role in studies of this kind is that of critical periods. This concept is 

 briefly discussed in a foreword by J. P. Scott. The book is concluded by a lengthy general dis- 

 cussion with contributions from M. A. McCance, J. P. Scott, C. A. Barraclough, and many 

 others. 



The book is well produced and adequately illustrated. It has no indexes to authors or 

 contributors. 



Development of Mammals and Man (general) (see also 33, 43-46, 49-53, 56-58, 

 Textbooks 76-78, 87, 88, 98, 99) 



23 



MANUAL DE TRABAJOS PRACTICOS DE EMBRIOLOGIA. 2 ed. revisada y ampliada. 1970. By 



E. KLEISS 



Univ. de Los Andes, Fac. de Med., Merida. 418 pp., 334 figs, (paper) 



This book is the revised and considerably enlarged 2nd edition of a work first published 

 in 1961. Its contents consist almost entirely of figures, and it was conceived for use in classes 

 of human embryology in conjunction with lectures and text-books. Because it has no text it 

 cannot be used on its own. The main topics illustrated are the development and anatomy of 

 the male and female genital organs, spermatogenesis and oogenesis, endocrine relations in 

 genital function, the mammary gland, fertilization, implantation and placentation, the develop- 

 ment of external body form, normal pregnancy and birth, multiple pregnancy and fetal 

 reduplications. The development of the organ systems is not included, but gross malformations 

 are duly considered. 



The figures consist of line drawings and photomicrographs. Most of the former are composite, 

 and many were made by the author himself, particularly the numerous more or less schema- 

 tical drawings illustrating the multiple types of interrelations in reproduction and gross 

 development. The line drawings are on the whole of satisfactory quality. The photographs are 

 unfortunately printed on ordinary paper and are generally unsatisfactory. 



333 



