The approach is essentially comparative, and the discussions cover mor- 

 phological, physiological, chemical, and physical aspects. The presentation is 

 appropriate in scope and treatment for biologists generally, for research 

 workers, and for teachers. 



As is apparent from the table of contents printed above, vol. I is con- 

 cerned with general and fundamental aspects of gametology and fertilization. 



The literature references of all chapters are up to date until early 1966. 

 The book is illustrated with numerous excellent drawings, photographs and 

 electron micrographs, several of which were not published previously. The 

 book is produced at the high standard usual for this publisher. It is concluded 

 by indexes to authors, taxonomic names, and subjects. 



The tentative table of contents of vol. II shows chapters on fertilization in 

 a variety of taxonomic groups (bacteriophages, bacteria, fungi, algae, higher 

 plants, Paramecium, fishes, and mammals); as well as on some special topics 

 (mammalian fertilization in vitro, anomalies of fertilization, and control 

 of fertility in mammals). 



29 THE CULTURE OF VERTEBRATE EMBRYOS 



1966 

 by D. A. T. New Logos Press Ltd. 



255 pp., 46 figs., 16 pis., 4 tbs. Academic Press Inc. 



London 

 Price (U.K.): 60 s. 



In this book the author has brought together a wealth of information con- 

 cerning the methods of obtaining, growing, and observing in culture embryos 

 of the five major vertebrate classes. Special attention is paid to the problem 

 of obtaining live embryos of particular stages at specified times. Information 

 is also included on sources of animals, live food, and operative techniques 

 such as decapsulation, marking, excision, grafting, parabiosis, and injection 

 (chick). (It is a pity that the mechanical germ-layer separation technique for 

 the chick embryo developed by Hara (1961) is not mentioned). 



Chapter 1 deals with apparatus and materials. The chapters 2-6 then deal 

 successively with mammals (special emphasis on rat, mouse, and rabbit), the 

 chick, reptiles (special emphasis on Anguis [ragilis and Lacerta vivipara), 

 amphibia (special emphasis on Xenopus, Amby stoma mexicanum, and Eleu- 

 therodactylus), and fish (special emphasis on Fundulus, Salmo, and Oryzias). 

 Each chapter contains a complete "normal table" of one of the recommended 

 species of the class concerned. These are adaptations of published "normal 

 tables" of other authors ( Witschi for the rat, Hamburger and Hamilton for the 

 chick, Dufaure and Hubert for Lacerta vivipara, Nieuwkoop and Faber for 

 Xenopus laevis, and Armstrong and Child for Fundulus heteroclitus) . They 

 are given in essentially complete, but occasionally somewhat abbreviated form; 

 the original illustrations are reproduced in full (except for the rat table, which 

 had no illustrations). 



Each chapter has its own biblography. Apart from the "normal table" 

 illustrations, the book is illustrated with good line drawings and some photo- 

 graphic plates. It is concluded by a combined author and subject index. For a 

 book which should be available to many workers the price is definitely too high. 



30 NORMAL TABLE OF XENOPUS LAEVIS (DAUDIN) 



A systematical and chronological survey of the development from the 

 fertilized egg till the end of metamorphosis 

 2nd edit.. 1967 

 Editors: P. D. Nieuwkoop and J. Faber North-Holland Publ. Co. 



Issued by the Hubrecht Laboratory, Utrecht Amsterdam 



252 pp., 10 pis. Price: 80 s.; $ 11.20 



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