Thanks to enormous scientific efforts of the last decades, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro production (IVP) have now been introduced successfully in the practice of human infertility treatment and cattle breeding programs. This comprehensive book allows us to bridge the knowledge from both biomedical and veterinary fields of research. For the first time, studies concerning the human embryo as well as embryos from domestic species are brought together. The central theme of the book is "the assessment of mammalian embryo quality." In 15 chapters, written by well-known scientists, different aspects of the assessment of mammalian embryo quality are summarized. Non-invasive and invasive techniques to evaluate embryo quality are separated in two parts. In addition the book is provided with appendices on practical aspects and, thus, the book should be present in each laboratory for IVF and IVP.

British Fossil reptile sites are of international importance since they include remains that fill the time gaps poorly known elsewhere. They include rich classic reptile beds which have been the source of dozens of important specimens. This volume details all those sites that have yielded fossil reptiles. The fifty most important localities are described in detail and an extensive bibliography of everything published on British Fossil reptiles since 1676 is provided.

The Antarctic fish fauna has evolved over a long period of geographic and climatic isolation. In the course of this evolution, Antarctic fish have developed specialized adaptations, some of which characterize these organisms as unique. In strong contrast to the continental shelf faunas elsewhere, the Antarctic shelf ichthyofauna is dominated by a single highly endemic group, the Notothenioidei. This group of perciform fish probably first appeared and diversified in the early Tertiary. The development of the Polar Front (referred to as the Antarctic Convergence in the older literature) resulted in a natural oceanographic barrier to migration in either direction, and thus became a key factor in the evolution of Antarctic fish. The dominance of the Antarctic continental shelf fauna by a single taxonomic group of fish provides a simplified natural laboratory for exploring the wealth of physiological, biochemical and ecological adaptations that characterize the fauna. Understanding of the patterns of adaptation in this highly specialized group of fish can tell us much about of evolution.

Evolutionary biomechanics is the study of evolution through the analysis of biomechanical systems. Its unique advantage is the precision with which physical constraints and performance can be predicted from first principles. Instead of reviewing the entire breadth of the biomechanical literature, a few key examples are explored in depth as vehicles for discussing fundamental concepts, analytical techniques, and evolutionary theory. Each chapter develops a conceptual theme, developing the underlying theory and techniques required for analyses in evolutionary biomechanics. Examples from terrestrial biomechanics, metabolic scaling, and bird flight are used to analyse how physics constrains the design space that natural selection is free to explore, and how adaptive evolution finds solutions to the trade-offs between multiple complex conflicting performance objectives. Evolutionary Biomechanics is suitable for graduate level students and professional researchers in the fields of biomechanics, physiology, evolutionary biology and palaeontology. It will also be of relevance and use to researchers in the physical sciences and engineering.

This edited series has three principal goals. The first is to provide information in a relatively concise way for researchers needing an over view of specific disciplines. The second is to provide an update on specific schools of thought, bringing together ideas from colleagues whose works often appear in a variety of journals. And the third is to stimulate and suggest directions for new research. Volume 6 continues the tradition established by the previous editor and editorial board in providing new information, updating our understanding of specific dis ciplines, and stimulating new research. In the first chapter, Randall Breitwisch examines mortality patterns and sex ratios in monogamous birds. He argues that there are many more components to measuring parental investment than are often re alized; our knowledge is weak in several areas. Understanding the evo lution of mating systems depends on better distinguishing the different intensities of natural selection that operate on males and females. Greg ory Butcher and Sievert Rohwer develop a framework for assessing the role of colorfulness in birds. They propose several hypotheses to test and advocate evaluating more than one hypothesis at a time. Future work on the evolution of distinctive coloration and of sexual and age dimorphism must take these ideas into account."

The appearance of the first volume of a projected series is the occasion for comment on scope, aims, and genesis of the work. The scope of Current Ornithology is all of the biology of birds. Ornithology, as a whole-organism science, is concerned with birds at every level of bi ological organization, from the molecular to the community, at least from the Jurassic to the present time, and over every scholarly discipline in which bird biology is done; to say this is merely to expand a dic tionary definition of "ornithology. " The aim of the work, to be realized over several volumes, is to present reviews or position statements con cerning the active fields of ornithological research. The reviews will be relatively short, and often will be done from the viewpoint of a readily identified group or school. Such a work could have come into being at any time within the past fifty years, but that Current Ornithology appears now is a result of events that are only seven to eight years old. One important event was the initiation in 1975-1976 of the Workshop on a National Plan for Ornithology, under the directorship of James R. King and Walter J. Bock, cosponsored by the American Ornithologists' Union and the Na tional Science Foundation. Part of the Workshop's interests lay in pub lications resources, and certain kinds of information on publications were obtained by means of a questionnaire."

This volume is an up-to-date treatise of chemosensory vertebrate research performed by over 200 scientists from 22 countries. Importantly, data from over 25 taxa of vertebrates are presented, including those from human beings. Unlike other volumes on this topic, a significant nurober of the contributions come from leading workers in the former Soviet Union and reflect studies within a wide variety of disciplines, including behavior, biochemistry, ecology, endocrinology, genetics, psychophysics, and morphol ogy. Most of the studies described in this volume were presented at the Chemical Signals in Vertbrates VI (CSV VI) symposium held at the University of Pennsylvania in the summer of 1991. This international symposium was the largest and the most recent of a series of six such symposia, the first of which was held in Saratoga Springe, New York (June 6-9, 1976) and the last in Oxford, England (August 8-10, 1988). Unlike the previous symposia, Chemical Signals in Vertabrates VI lasted a full week, reflecting the increased number of participants and the desire of many to present their research findings orally to the group as a whole."

The Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) has been protected by law since 1955 in Japan, because it was becoming rarer and approaching extinction. Thereafter, the serow population has increased gradually. The Japanese serow is thought to be a primitive relict species on the islands of Japan, and the geographical range of the serow has retracted upwards into the moun tain forests to avoid contact with humans. Little was therefore known about these animals. However, increasing losses of forest habitat due to exploit ation of the mountain forests or expanding cultivation by local foresters have driven the Japanese serow back into the lowlands of Japan. Since then, complaints of damage to trees and other vegetation have accumulated against the serow. In some prefectures the shooting of Japanese serow was allowed in order to prevent damage to forests. The animals killed were taken for research by the Departments of the Environment and by universities. was set up at the summit of Mt. Gozaisho, The Japan Serow Center Komono-cho, Mie Prefecture, in 1962 and has made a great effort to breed the serow and its related species in captivity. In addition, the International Studbook of Capricorn is crispus in captivity was established in Japan, and the state of breeding of the Japanese serows is now reported annually. However, without detailed scientific research, it is impossible to conduct sensible protection, conservation or management of the serow in captivity or in the wild.

Thomas Bewick (1753-1828) is synonymous with finely crafted wood engravings of the natural world, and his instantly recognisable style influenced book illustration well into the nineteenth century. During his childhood in the Tyne valley, his two obsessions were art and nature. At fourteen, he was apprenticed to the engraver and businessman Ralph Beilby (1743-1817) with whom he later published A General History of Quadrupeds (also reissued in this series). The present work, with its text compiled from various sources, was the first practical field guide for the amateur ornithologist, inspiring also artists and writers. Each of the two volumes contains hundreds of illustrations of breathtaking beauty and precision: one for each species, neatly capturing its character in exquisite detail, interspersed with charming vignettes of country life. Volume 2, first published in 1804, covers water birds, including sandpipers, terns, grebes and guillemots.

Throughout our history, humans have been captivated by mythic beasts and legendary creatures. Tales of Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Loch Ness monster are part of our collective experience. Now comes a book from two dedicated investigators that explores and elucidates the fascinating world of cryptozoology.

Daniel Loxton and Donald R. Prothero have written an entertaining, educational, and definitive text on cryptids, presenting the arguments both for and against their existence and systematically challenging the pseudoscience that perpetuates their myths. After examining the nature of science and pseudoscience and their relation to cryptozoology, Loxton and Prothero take on Bigfoot; the Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, and its cross-cultural incarnations; the Loch Ness monster and its highly publicized sightings; the evolution of the Great Sea Serpent; and Mokele Mbembe, or the Congo dinosaur. They conclude with an analysis of the psychology behind the persistent belief in paranormal phenomena, identifying the major players in cryptozoology, discussing the character of its subculture, and considering the challenge it poses to clear and critical thinking in our increasingly complex world.

Fish comprise more than 50% of all living vertebrates and are found in a wide range of highly diverse habitats like the deep sea, the shoreline, tide pools, tropical streams and sweetwater ponds. During evolution, the senses of fish have adapted to the physical conditions of the environment in which different species live. As a result, the senses of fish exhibit a remarkable diversity that allows different species to deal with the physical constraints imposed by their habitat. In addition, fish have evolved several new' sensory systems that are unique to the aquatic environment.
In this book, examples of adaptation and refinement are given for six sensory systems: The visual system, The auditory system, The olfactory system, The mechanosensory lateral line system, The taste system, The electrosensory system. In each case, the environmental conditions under which a particular group of fish lives are analyzed. This is followed by a description of morphology and physiology of the sensory system and by an evaluation of its perceptional capabilities. Finally, the sensory adaptations to the particular conditions that prevail in the habitat of a species are highlighted.
The various examples from different groups of fish presented in this book demonstrate the impressive capability of fish sensory systems to effectively overcome physical problems imposed by the environment.

Animal welfare is attracting increasing interest worldwide, especially in developed countries where the knowledge and resources are available to (at least potentially) provide better management systems for farm animals, as well as companion, zoo and laboratory animals. The key requirements for adequate food, water, a suitable environment, appropriate companionship and good health are important for animals kept for all of these purposes. There has been increased attention given to farm animal welfare in many co- tries in recent years. This derives largely from the fact that the relentless pursuit of nancial reward and ef ciency, to satisfy market demands, has led to the devel- ment of intensive animal production systems that challenge the conscience of many consumers in those countries. In developing countries, human survival is still a daily uncertainty, so that p- vision for animal welfare has to be balanced against human needs. Animal welfare is usually a priority only if it supports the output of the animal, be it food, work, clothing, sport or companionship. In principle the welfare needs of both humans and animals can be provided for, in both developing and developed countries, if resources are properly husbanded. In reality, however, the inequitable division of the world's riches creates physical and psychological poverty for humans and a- mals alike in many parts of the world.

Until quite recently, the field of reproductive immunology was very much a neglected area of biology, seen by most reproductive physiologists as of only peripheral importance. It was generally acknowledged as curious that a female mammal tolerated the intrusion of alien sperm and the persisting presence of an alien fetus, while reserving the prerogative of rejecting grafts of tissue, even when these were from her own mate. Several theories were advanced to explain this paradox, each with some supporting evidence: all were eventually shown to be inadequate. And there the matter was, on the whole, permitted to rest. In the last few years, the situation has changed dramatically, and the neglected area of overlap between immunology and reproduction has again become densely populated by research workers. As a symptom of this resurgence of interest, a specialist journal (the Journal of Reproductive Immunology) has been launched to supply what had rapidly been perceived as a need.

The present conference is the third in a series on this topic sponsored by the NCP. Drs. HcGhee, l1estecky, Genco and Bowen are to be commended for arranging this truly comprehensive program. We are fortunate that they have been able to assemble such a wealth of expertise. Program staff considers the advice of scientists such as yourselves essential to the success of its mission. Your presentations and discussions will focus on the crucial problems to be solved in exploiting the secretory immune system to combat dental caries. The published proceedings will bring these to the attention of the research community quickly and hopefully they will stimulate new investigators to bring their talents to these problems. This meeting will, to a large extent, determine the direction of research sponsored by the NCP. Finally, I would like to thank the members of the planning committee for their dedicated efforts over the past two years, which have culminated in this symposium. Our thanks are also due to each of you, in advance, for contributing so freely to the success of this meeting.

This volume reviews, for the first time, the broad range of issues that affect the welfare of commercially farmed ratites. Although ratites incorporate several families of flightless birds this book focuses on the most commonly farmed ratites, the ostrich, emu and rhea. The readers are taken on a journey through all sectors of the industry, which include breeding, incubation, hatching, brooding, rearing, growth, transport and processing, with an emphasis on husbandry and management protocols that can impact bird welfare and health. Also discussed is the structure and sensory innervation of the skin and digits of the birds, and the potential welfare implications of industry practices on these structures. Each chapter in this volume focuses on a particular aspect of the commercial farming of ratites with contributing authors from a broad range of disciplines."

Most people who have taken a biology course in the past 50 years are familiar with the work of David Lack, but few remember his name. Almost all general biology texts produced during that period have a figure showing the beak size differences among the finches of the Galapagos Islands from Lack's 1947 classic, Darwin's Finches. Lack's pioneering conclusions in Darwin's Finches mark the beginning of a new scientific discipline, evolutionary ecology. Tim Birkhead, in his acclaimed book, The Wisdom of Birds, calls Lack the 'hero of modern ornithology.' Who was this influential, yet relatively unknown man? The Life of David Lack, Father of Evolutionary Ecology provides an answer to that question based on Ted Anderson's personal interviews with colleagues, family members and former students as well as material in the extensive Lack Archive at Oxford University.

This book is a collection of papers given by invited speakers at a Symposium on 'Feedback and Motor Control', held at the University of Glasgow from July 10th to 13th 1984, which was attended by over 200 scientists from 20 countries. The Symposium was the Fourth International Symposium organised by the Scottish Electrophysiological Society (SES), and on this occasion the SES joined forces with the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB), so that the Symposium was held dur ing the annual Summer Meeting of the SEB. A policy of the SES since its formation in 1970 has been to promote dialogue between scientists working on invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems by hol

In review, the amount of information available on the morphological and func tional properties of the frog nervous system is very extensive indeed and in certain areas is the only available source of information in vertebrates. Further more, much of the now classical knowledge in neurobiology was originally ob tained and elaborated in depth in this vertebrate. To cite only a few examples, studies of nerve conduction, neuromuscular transmission, neuronal integration, sense organs, development, and locomotion have been developed with great detail in the frog and in conjunction provide the most complete holistic descrip tion of any nervous system. Added to the above considerations, the ease with which these animals may be maintained (both as adults and during development) and the advantage of their lower cost as compared with other vertebrate forms make the frog one of the most important laboratory animals in neurobiology. With these thoughts in mind, we decided to compile this volume. Our goal in doing so was to assemble as much as possible of the information available on frog neurobiology and to have the different topics covered by authorities in each of the fields represented. To keep the handbook restricted to one volume, we found it necessary to omit the large field of amphibian muscle neurobiology, which has already been summarized in various other publications."

Fishes are very successful vertebrates and have adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions, from the deep ocean to the smallest brook or pond. The physiological background to these environmental adaptations is, obviously, far from clear, and provides fish physiologists with many challenges. The number of extant fish species has been estimated to be in excess of 20000, and only relatively few of these have been subject to physiological studies. Yet among these animals can be found many physiological systems different from those of the land-dwelling vertebrates, and also systems similar to those of the 'higher' vertebrates but at a different level of phylogenetic development. Apart from the rapidly increasing interest in basic fish physi ology, the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in applied research, aimed primarily in two directions: fish culture and envi ronmental toxicology. Physiological research is of vital importance in both these fields, and basic fish physiology is a necessary base for the applied research. This book is intended for a wide readership among senior undergraduate, postgraduate and research students, as well as uni versity teachers and researchers in zoology, physiology, aqua culture and biology generally. The book focuses on five major areas of basic and applied research: haemopoiesis, acid-base regu lation, circulation, gastro-intestinal functions and physiological toxicology. The chapters will serve as introductions to these fields, as well as up-to-date reviews of the most recent advances in the research areas."

In this book, concerned with the spatial and structural repre- sentation of the cell and its particular specializations, the author hasdeviatedconsiderablyfrom the usual planfor other books related to this subject and has presented the illustrative material in the form of detailed and accurate drawings. The layout of the book provides the reader with a briefnarrative accountoftheparticularorganelleaccompanied byafull-plate illustration on the facing page. Most ofthe narrative accounts areaccompaniedbyashortbibliographyofgermanereferences in the event the reader desires to pursue the subject matter in greater depth. In my estimation there is no other presentation currentlyavailablewhich utilizes thisapproach to demonstrate the cellular components and their associated morphophysi- ology with such elegance. Thetextisclearlywrittenand,althoughtheindividualaccounts are brief, they are highly informative with all ofthe important details being provided. The accuracy ofthe textural presenta- tions and the continuity ofexpression provide strong evidence that the author has spent an enormous amount of time in preparing the text and in painstakingly drawing the illustra- tions. Certainly, an obvious strength ofthis volume is the high qualityoftheillustrativerenditions, allofwhichweredrawnby Dr. KRSTIC. These attest to the profound and comprehensive nature of the author's knowledge of the field of cellular and structural biology. This book is truly a work oflove and art by one who is gifted both didactically and artistically. Dr. KRSTIC should be con- gratulated for providing us with an extremely accurate and detailedaccountofthe 2-dimensional, andinmanycasesthe 3- dimensional, view of the cell and its component organelles. It has no equal.

The neotropical primate family Pitheciidae consists of four genera Cacajao (uacaris), Callicebus (titis), Chiropotes (bearded sakis) and Pithecia (sakis), whose 40+ species display a range of sizes, social organisations, ecologies and habitats. Few are well known and the future survival of many is threatened, yet pitheciines have been little studied. This book is the first to review the biology of this fascinating and diverse group in full. It includes fossil history, reviews of the biology of each genus and, among others, specific treatments of vocalisations and foraging ecology. These studies are integrated into considerations of current status and future conservation requirements on a country-by-country basis for each species. A state-of-the-art summary of current knowledge, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Titis, Sakis and Uacaris is a collective effort from all the major researchers currently working on these remarkable animals.

This volume offers a state-of-the-art overview of plethodontid salamanders. Readers will find the best current understanding of many aspects of the evolution, systematics, development, morphology, life history, ecology, and field methodology of these animals.

The Chapman and Hall Fish and Fisheries Series occasionally includes books devoted to a single taxon of fish that are of particular interest to fish and fisheries science. All three previous books of this type (Cichlid Fishes, Cyprinid Fishes, Sea Bass) have included important material on commercial fishery exploitation, but Hake: Biology, fisheries and markets, number 15 in the Series, is the first book that focuses on a major global fishery resource. This book brings together detailed analyses of the ocean habitats, biology, ecology, assessment and management of all the hake fisheries of the world for the first time. Globally, there are ten major world fisheries for 12 species of hake on both sides of the North and the South Atlantic, the Mediterra nean, the eastern North and South Pacific and New Zealand. The book includes an overview of industrial markets and products of hake. Hake fisheries are of particular economic interest as their location spans almost a complete spectrum of industrial development from major industrial countries like USA, Canada, Spain and Italy through New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Chile to Morocco, Peru, Mauritania, Namibia and Angola."

The originality of this volume is to reveal to the reader the fascination of some unfamiliar sensory organs that are sometimes ignored and often misunderstood. These receptors have only recently been identified and their functional specificity is in some cases still a matter for discussion. The four classes of sensory organs considered here differ widely from one another in many respects. One might even say that the only thing they have in common is that they belong to cold-blooded vertebrates. These classes are: 1. the directionally sensitive lateral-line mechanoreceptors of fishes and amphi bians (Chapter 7); 2. the pseudobranchial organs of some teleosts, equipped with pressoreceptors and at least three other types of receptors (osmo- and chemoreceptors) (Chapter 8); 3. the infrared-sensitive pit organs of some snake families (Chapter 9); 4. the various kinds of electroreceptors found in several marine and freshwater fish families (Chapters 2 to 6). The first three classes of receptors mentioned above thus rate only one chapter each, whereas five chapters are devoted to the electroreceptors. Electroreception has aroused enormous interest among physiologists in specialties ranging from molecular biology to animal behavior. The resulting quantity of research and discussion fully justifies this disproportion. However, it cannot be denied that the contents of the volume must appear unbalanced and heterogeneous, yet it should not be perceived as a mere juxtaposition of particular and unrelated cases."