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<Article-Title>Principles of Animal Physiology</Article-Title> <Contrib Zoology however, find much important infor- Development and Histogenesis," histo- mation in the book. logic and embryologic topics are not the PRINCIPLES OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY, by Although the publisher states that main thrust. The book is well indexed Dennis W. Wood. 1970. American the book is to be used by beginning and edited; however, there are not Elsevier Publishing Co., New York. students, I feel that it would be too enough illustrations. 342 p. $11.00. difficult and detailed for use by anyone One must ask if such a book should without a background in chemistry, be used in a university course. The in- Wood concisely presents a wealth of physics, and general biology. However, formation is usually more or less ac- information about the physiology of it would be a valuable addition to the curate, but it is stated as if "read from animals. Principles are explained and library of a teacher of physiology. the golden tablets": only a few refer- illustrated by numerous examples from Margaret L. Watson ences to and cursory discussions of cur- a large variety of animal forms. The Simpson College rent literature are included. There is author gives more information about Indianola, Iowa little discussion of why one would invertebrate, and particularly insect, accept the concepts presented and al- physiology than is found in most ani- PLATYHELMINTHES AND PARASITISM: AN most no discussion of function, except mal-physiology texts. He has attempted INTRODUCTION TO PARASITOLOGY, by D. for that which is obvious from the R. R. Burt. to coordinate fundamental processes, 1970. American Publishing structure itself (adrenal gland, verte- such as ionic balance and enzyme Co., New York. 150 p. $8.75. bral column, etc.). kinetics, with the of the functioning Platyhelminthes and Parasitism is The taxa that he compares with one total organism. a concise, well-planned book written another are almost exclusively living The Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/33/6/376/28655/4443580.pdf by guest on 30 September 2021 author does not refer, within primarily for students as an ones. I suppose it is possible to overdo the text, to the investigators introduc- from whose tion to the subject of fossil comparisons, but I do not see work he took his examples. parasitism. Illus- In only one trations have been chosen to how he could avoid discussions and instance emphasize does he refer directly to an important aspects of flatworm illustrations of cynodonts (jaw articu- investigator, and that is morphol- to Sherrington's ogy and life cycles. lation, masseter muscle, palate), a few work on Tables, used spar- convergence of afferent nerv- ingly, present brief primitive labyrinthodonts, and a rhi- ous summations of pathways. There are references comparative data. pidistian. These omissions emphasize at the back, arranged by chapters, but Carefully chosen index listings give the reader that his approach is not only unanaly- sometimes it is difficult to identify ready the access to the subject matter. tic, but not even evolutionary. To stress exact reference to which one might The value of the book is this, I point out that not one of the want to go for more information. greatly enhanced by a chapter on interesting "homologies" of compara- For American the system- students, who have be- atics of the phylum tive anatomy is dicussed in sufficient come Platyhelminthes. accustomed to the investigative More than just a depth to be convincing. approach to simple listing of taxa, biology, this volume might it reveals the We who are interested in the mor- be a rationale behind the cur- disappointment, because nowhere rent scheme of phology and systematics of vertebrates does one feel the thrill of new dis- classification. A chapter describing the different are going to draw many of our students covery. The motivated student can, associations between animals offers examples of from those who study courses using books like this. We must ask ourselves * NewService * No Fees phoresis, commensalism, symbiosis, and parasitism. Examples are not restricted if intelligent, imaginative students will Current to flatworms; a wide variety of animal be stimulated by such an approach. I species are included. In addition, chap- doubt if they will. ters are devoted to the Monogenea, Robert E. DeMar COLLEGEVACANCIES Aspidogastrea, Digenea, Didymozoo- University of Illinois in nidea, Cestodaria, and Cestoda. The Chicago book culminates in a discussion of host- BiologicalSciences parasite relations, touching lightly on WOODLAND ANIMALS, by George A. host specificity and phylogeny, environ- Smith. 1970. Abelard-Schuman, Ltd., mental resistance and biotic potential, London, New York, and Toronto. 128 Published Fall, Winter, Spring and immunity. p. $4.95. (Summer Supplement) The author's aim of producing an This little book of Nationwide coverage of universities, introductory textbook is admirably black-and-white colleges, jr. colleges * indexed by fulfilled. The book's only weakness is photographs with accompanying vig- state * complete description of a limited reference section, which lists nettes introduces the reader to a num- salary, rank, responsibility. only general-parasitology books. Spe- ber of familiar mammals, reptiles, cific citations of the literature would amphibians, and birds of eastern wood- lands. With the exception of the gray SUBSCRIBETODAY $18.00 PERYEAR give the reader a starting point from which to begin the exploration of new wolf, largely exterminated in the lower ideas. 48 states, Smith's selection of species National Faculty Placement Ronald P. for inclusion in the volume seems ap- Bulletin Hathaway Colorado College propriate. The photographs are reason- Colorado Springs ably good but do not measure up to Name- the best we have come to expect in ANATOMY OF THE CHORDATES, by Charles wildlife photography. The descriptive Address K. Weichert. 4th ed., 1970. McGraw- passages provide the reader with the Hill Book Co., New York. 822 p. commonly known facts regarding the City State Zip - $13.50. animals' biology and, as generalizations, most of the statements are accurate. Send to: This book clearly represents enor- One might therefore be inclined to O'Brien & O'Brien, mous encyclopedic effort by the author, suggest that the book would be appro- Educational Consultants and he is to be complimented for priate for supplementary reading in a Dept. BT bringing together so much material. It high school biology class. P.O. Box 271, Buffalo, New York is intended to be used as a textbook for 14221 Unfortunately, closer scrutiny reveals a course in comparative anatomy. Al- a few features which may detract from though there is a chapter called "Early its usefulness. First, a certain incon- 376 THE AMERICANBIOLOGY TEACHER, SEPTEMBER 1971 .
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