Mammalian Olfaction, Reproductive

Although for many animals olfactive perceptions must be the most important source of information about the state of their environment, we know relatively little about this chemoreceptive sensory system. The fact that our own sense of smell is comparatively rudimentary has certainly contributed to the relative lack of attention that olfactory behaviour and physiology have received. Our smelling blindness has obstructed research in two ways. Anthro-pocentric as much biological research is, it just has not looked at this inhuman sense. On the other hand, with our reduced capabilities it is just awkward to monitor the functioning of olfactometric equipment and, remarkably, technology for once has not yet come up with much of an aid to replace our helpless nose. This book makes it transparent what an important role olfaction plays in the control of reproductive behaviour of many mammalian species. It begins with a chapter by Scalia and Winans that integrates recent advances in the tracing of central olfactory projections with the more traditional pit-ture. They draw attention to the difference between the vomeronasal and ol-factory system. It is regrettable that they did not include a schematic diagram showing the layout of the main projections they describe. That would certainly have been helpful for the non-specialist reader. Smelling depends on sniffing , that is, olfaction is linked with respiration. This receives due and commendable emphasis in Macrides' chapter, but the olfactory influences on neu-roendocrine functions indicated in the chapter's title must still be considered