er Ee ACU De BrOMN. Be Uc iris BelelsN 33 
Cousteau’s remarks on the destruction of coral, and man’s pollution of 
the ocean, make one weep. Those who have joined me in a snorkeling ex- 
perience would agree that the sea with all its colorful elements is one of 
the most exciting places on this planet. Yet, we have made of the sea 
one huge garbage pail. Birds, coral, fish, whales, and man himself is 
seriously threatened by this pollution. No one can put it better than 
Cousteau who writes, ‘Man is just beginning to explore the seas and to 
know them, and already he has discovered that they are dying. Let us 
not forget that we are responsible to posterity for the preservation of the 
beauties of the sea as well as for those on the land.” 
—Mrs. I. L. Mostek 
A PORTFOLIO OF NEW ZEALAND BIRDS. By Bruce Harvey. 
Tuttle and Co., Rutland, Vermont, 1971. 64 pages. $17.50 
Twenty-five species of New Zealand birds are found on huge 10x14 plates 
in this exquisite volume. They are representative species found in marshes 
and field, lake and forest. Each color plate is accompanied by a meaning- 
ful text, with both common and scientific name. 
The commentary is not limited to expected statements on habitat, 
nesting and range of each species, but also contains personal observations 
by the author. One wishes for more notes such as the encounter with 
the Tui which became intoxicated on nectar which had fermented into mead. 
Portraits are found of the Pied-Tit, Silvereye, North Island Fantail, 
Grey Warbler, Flesh-footed Shearwater, and the Yellow-Crowned Parakeet 
among others. 
—Raymond Mostek 
THE CHEMICAL FEAST, By James S. Turner 
Introduction by Ralph Nader. 
Grossman Publishers. 125 East 19th St., New York 10003. 1970. 
273 pages. Paperback. 95 cents. 
American citizens who presume that they are protected against abuses by 
the food industry by the Federal Food and Drug Administration will find 
this book a shocker. On the other hand, conservationists who have long 
known of the weakness of state and federal agencies in protecting the 
natural environment against those who pollute the air and water, and 
damage the natural scene, will only find more fuel for their fires. 
In page after page, James Turner describes the power of the food 
industry advocates within the FDA, the weakness of the consumer in his 
efforts to protect himself, and the fraud of the whole situation. 
The whole sordid story of how cyclamates came to be included in our 
soft drinks takes up an entire chapter. As of Sept. 1, 1970, it became 
illegal to sell any food, drug, or soft drink, which contains cyclamates. 
“The Chemical Feast” points out that the American diet has deteriorat- 
ed in the last decade. It may come as a surprise to many citizens that 
20-year-old men in 36 foreign countries will live longer on the average 
than American males. In 21 nations, the life span of a 20-year-old woman 
will be greater than that of her American counterpart. In 1968, the U.S.A. 
was 13th in the rate of infant mortality; in 1950 it ranked 5th. 
Since the food industry is a gigantic $125 billion dollar operation, six 
times as large as General Motors, it is not surprising that the food industry 
