Torimn, Vd . IB, p. SOS . 1980 .
Perdamon Prea< Ltd .
Printed in Great Britain.
l~rV r r"WS HAHERMEHt_ G. and MERS . D . (Ed . )
Proeeedi>Rgs of the 3rd Sympariune on Plant, Animal andMicrobial Toxins, University College, London, SepAember 1978. THE EUROPEAN Section of IST has for several years organized symposia in between the Inten~tational congresses. The Proceedings of the 3rd symposium have been published with Darmstadt University Press ; copies may be obtained frce of charge from : Dr . D . Mebs Institute f8r Rechtsmedizin der Universität Kennedyalke 104 D-6000 Frankfurt (M) 70 West-Germany. The book contains the four main lectures and 29 abstracts of papers, mainly devoted to snake venoms, bee venom and microbial venoms, with many new findings not yet published elsewhere. F. KORNALIK
Arthmpod Venorns. Edited by S . Bettipi (Handbook of Experimental Pharmamlogy, Vol. 48). Berlin, Heidelberg, New York : Springer (1978) . 977 pp ., 293 5gs ., DM 450,00 .
Tests volwne is-to say it right at the begutping-excellent m every respect ; 44 international recognized authors
guarantee for this. All of the authors have been working in the field of Arthropod venoms for many years, and so all aspects are reported in detail: systematical classification, distribution, anatomy of venom apparata, chemistry and pharmaoobgy of the toxins, symptomatoktgy, pathoklgy and treatmept of envenomations, statistical data on frequency and progress of cases. Practically ell families of arthropods have been mentioned ; spiders and scorpions are treated extepsively . Broad space is given to the insects, especially to ants . Many figures and tables illustrate and complement the text . At the end of each chapter references are given to original papers up to L978 . With an excellent register the book is closed . The volume claims interest far beyond pharmaeobgy . Zoobgists, toxinologists and Chemists working with arthropods will give high credits to the book . G . HABERMEHL
Introdr~tion m Herpetology . C . J . Gow. O . B . Gone and G . ZUG. San Francisco: i~eeman (1978) . 378 pp., 170 figs ., U .S . 515 .95 .
THLC book is the 3rd edition of the text used in a herpetology course. It consists of 17 drapers and 2 appendices .
The 17 chapters may be divided ipto 3 sections: upon a very instructive introduction there folbws (chapters 2-1 L ) a treatise on morphology, evolution, reproduction, Physiology, behaviour and geographical distribution of amphibians and reptiles . Chapters 12-17 deal with the single families. The text is clear, informative and mncise . Many figures end maps illustrate the book. in the appendices, classification of amphibians apd reptiles is given as well as good name and subject indexes. Mmy rcfercpces allow further studies of the original literature . The rEsumé : a very valuable book for herpetok>'sgisb, indispensable for zooktgy students ; it should be present in every zoological flbrery . G .HABERMEHL