128. 



H.W.MOSSMAN and K.L.DUKE. 1973. COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF THE 



MAMMALIAN OVARY 



Univ. of Wisconsin Press, Madison, etc. XXVIII, 461 pp., 198 



figs., 9 tabs., combined subject and taxonomic index. $ 25.00 



Contents: 1. Gross anatomy of the mammalian ovary; 2. General 

 microscopic structure of the mammalian ovary; 3. Development 

 of the mammalian ovary; 4. Morphology and cyclic changes of a 

 representative mammalian ovary; 5. The human ovary; 6. Compar- 

 ative morphology of specific ovarian tissues and structures; 



7. Features and problems associated with the mammalian ovary; 



8. Retrospect and prospect 



This scholarly monograph was written by two eminent experts 

 and embodies much of their unpublished material gathered in the 

 course of several decades. They state in their preface that one 

 of the purposes of the book is "to reduce the misunderstanding 

 and misinformation regarding the mammalian ovary which one en- 

 counters on every hand". In so far as this is due to the fact 

 that most people's knowledge is restricted to a few common lab- 

 oratory mammals and man, the broadly comparative approach taken 

 here is particularly valuable. 



The first three chapters present the necessary background in 

 a relatively straightforward manner, though in more detail than 

 is usually found in textbooks. In ch.4 the red squirrel, Tamia- 

 sciurus hudsonicus, is adopted as a sort of "type species", 

 while ch.5 follows a similar pattern for the discussion of the 

 human ovary. Ch.6 then takes up the comparative approach in 

 more detail; it is in part a synthesis of the extensive informa- 

 tion presented in taxonomic order in the form of synoptic tables 

 and supplementary notes in the 100-page appendix. A subject 

 which was intentionally omitted is the cytology, cytogenesis, 

 and cytolysis of ova. 



Subjects of particular interest to embryologists discussed in 

 ch.7 are the origin of oogonia, ovarian regeneration, natural 

 superovulation, intra-ovarian parthenogenesis, and induction 

 and metaplasia in the ovary. Ch.8 contains a schematic summary 

 of the authors' concepts of the developmental origin of the 

 major components of the mammalian ovary. 



The book is well produced and profusely illustrated, mainly 

 with very good photomicrographs. It has a useful glossary and 

 a 36-page bibliography. 



129. 



A.F.TURDAKOV. 1972. THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF MALE FISHES (in 



Russian) 



Ilim, Frunze. 280 pp., 61 figs., 13 tabs. 



Development, structure and function of male reproductive sys- 

 tem; sex differentiation, hermaphroditism, sex-reversal; gonadal 

 cycles, spermatogenesis; ejaculate, spermatozoa; 34-page bibli- 

 ography (8 pages Russian). 



130. 



E.WOLFF, ed. 1972. HORMONES ET DIFFERENCIATION SEXUELLE CHEZ 



LES INVERTEBRES 



Gordon & Breach, Paris, etc. Cours et documents de biologie Vol. 



3. X,266 pp., 84 figs., 10 pis., 13 tabs., author index. £ 7.30 



Invertebrate endocrinology has been a speciality of French 

 zoologists for a long time. This collection of reviews contains 



238 



