Manual of Microbiological Methods

one on endocrinology, should provide the student with an excellent overall view of the integration of organic systems. "Genetics and Evolution" contains a reasonably clear and detailed discussion of the principles and problems in these fields, including gene action, the origin of life, and a good summary of the evidence for evolution. Some may feel that this section should come before that on vertebrate evolution; the anatomical detail in this section is not so great as to prohibit such an inversion (perhaps it should be read both before and after). "Animals and their Environment" contains the principles of syn-and autecology, adaptations to various environments, parasitism, and conservation. The clarity and detail of these sections suffer perhaps from lack of space, but it is on the whole adequate. There are questions and references at the end of each chapter, and an appendix containing a concise taxonomic summary. The illustrations are in general clear, but occasionally too small for comfortable perusal (e.g. Busycon, Fig. 14.5, p. 249). The text is too long for complete coverage in a half-year course, but topic selection can be made without too much difficulty. For example, genetics is split into two chapters, the first giving just the bare elements of Mendelian theory needed for an attenuated course. In general, the authors seem to have done a remarkable job of avoiding a great number of the half-truths that usually result from oversimplification. The student should thus obtain a thorough but flexible grounding in zoological principles, amenable to expansion and revision with later study. The book is thus recommended for use in introductory college courses, especially full-year courses. Laboratory Exercises in General Zoology is apparently designed as a companion volume for the above text, and is so recommended by both its authors and publisher. It is a relatively complete, well-organized laboratory outline, with much explanatory material prefacing each exercise. It is organized in such a way that there should be little serious discrepancy between laboratory and lecture progress if the chapter order of the text is preserved. There is a minimum of living material presupposed (except for readily obtainable forms such as can be got from most localities or biological supply houses), but addition of any available living specimens is both easy and desirable. The reviewer objects to the extensive use of outline drawings to be completed and/or labelled and handed in (except, of course, outline maps for biogeographical …