REPRODUCTION, SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT, GAMETOGENESIS, FERTILISATION 



(see also 15,43,84,104) 



Textbooks 



45. 



C. R. AUSTIN and R. V. SHORT, eds. 1976. FORTPFLANZUNGSBIOLOGIE DER 



SAUGETIERE. Band 1 Keimzellen und Befruchtung, aus dem Englischen ubersetzt von 



G. Obe, U. Hollihn und B. Beek 



Parey, Berlin, etc. Pareys Studientexte No. 6. 116 pp., 50 figs., 3 tabs., subject index. 



DM 25.00 (paper) 



This is the translation ot the first of an excellent series of five short texts first published 

 in 1972. The reader is referred to our earlier reviews in Gen. Embryol. Inf. Serv. 15, 1 

 (1973). 



The translation is competent and conscientious. The original beautiful illustrations are 

 somewhat too darkly reproduced, thus occasionally losing some of their information con- 

 tent. One illustration has been replaced. The index has been greatly extended. 



46. 



J. COHEN. 1977. REPRODUCTION 



Butterworths, London, etc. XX, 356 pp., 86 figs., 17 pis., 1 1 tabs., combined subject and 

 taxonomic index. 



In so far as developmental biology deals with phenomena occurring during the life 

 cycle, it is natural to place it in the broad context of reproduction. In this book the author, 

 who is both an embryologist and a reproductive biologist, does this on the whole in an admir- 

 able manner. The book paints a very wide panorama indeed, and would be very suitable 

 to make students of development aware of the place of their science in the whole of bio- 

 logy (in the non-reductionist sense). 



That the book arose out of lectures is apparent from its easy style. It is full of unortho- 

 dox ideas, often amusing, and occasionally provocative (especially in the sections dealing 

 with social and cultural patterns.) The amount of embryology in the modern sense is natu- 

 rally restricted and the chapters in question are slightly marred by some mistakes and 

 inaccuracies. Particularly useful and informative are the chapters on larval forms, viviparity, 

 life cycles and evolution. 



The illustrations, both line drawings and photographs, are all original and on the whole 

 very good. There is a good glossary. The 15-page reference list serves as an author index. 

 The index is extensive (but does not include "induction"). 



Monographs 



47. 



A. E. BEER and R.E. DILLINGHAM. 1976. THE IMMUNOBIOLOGY OF MAMMALIAN 



REPRODUCTION 



Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs. XVI, 240 pp., 31 figs., 3 tabs., subject index, $ 24.10, 

 £ 15.15 



Although this book is obviously of primary importance to medical students and mem- 

 bers of the medical profession, it could be very useful to mammalian embryologists. It is 

 a concise synthesis of the basic observations and principles in this field and is well suited 

 for rapid orientation. Due to the limited documentation it is not suitable as a reference 

 work. 



The book is easy to read and the treatment is critical, as we may expect from such 

 eminent authorities. In a series of 15 chapters of convenient length virtually all aspects 

 pass in review. Eight chapters deal in one way or another with the period of gestation, 



214 



