PREFACE 



The field of mammalogy has, until very recently, been largely concerned 

 with morphology and systematics; investigators have done little to bring 

 together experimental work on the widely divergent mammalian types of 

 which we have knowledge. The treatise "Physiological Mammalogy" was, 

 therefore, conceived as a device to bring together the existing knowledge 

 of an experimental nature on those animals usually regarded as "wild." 

 Approximately fifteen themes, on which a considerable body of evidence 

 has been accumulated over the years, provide the central organizing core 

 around which various authors have been asked to make their contribu- 

 tions. The amount of material available on the non-classic laboratory 

 animals has been difficult to synthesize ; but the experts who were asked to 

 contribute to the planned original single volume have proven so knowl- 

 edgeable about the areas of their specialities and have made such a truly 

 impressive survey of the experimental literature on their topics that it 

 has become necessary to expand the work from the original single volume 

 of relatively short essays to a minimum of three and perhaps even more 

 additional volumes. 



The plan of this work is such that anyone working with mammals will 

 find it an indispensable reference. It is particularly valuable to experi- 

 mentalists working with mammals in the areas of physiology, mammalogy, 

 and ecolog3^ Within these volumes will be found comprehensive essays on 

 specific topics in physiological mammalogy, as well as a cogent analysis of 

 the experimental field developing both what is known and what needs yet 

 to be done. The research worker will find, in perusing these pages, chal- 

 lenging obser\'ations to which he might well address future researches. 

 The student will find reference material and previous observations which 

 will make these volumes useful as a baseline from which additional studies 

 can be begun. ]\Iost of the authors have, in addition to providing a com- 

 prehensive review article, intercalated their own observations and com- 

 mentary to the point where the articles themselves constitute original 

 contributions to the field. This treatment provides a comprehensive analy- 

 sis of the over-all specified topic. 



These volumes will provide the investigator with information that 

 will enable him to choose experimental animals previously little used in the 

 laboratory because their specific physiological properties and behavior 

 were formerly not well known. As a compendium on physiology of nor- 

 mally non-laboratory mammals, this treatise will be of value to anyone 

 who works with mammals and to any experimental animal biologist. 



