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Comparative color vision
Comparative Color Vision. Jacobs. Pp. 209. Academic York. 1981. $24.00.
By Gerald H. Press, New
The modern literature on colour vision is published in a very wide variety of journals. The reason for this is that many different animals in addition to the human, are used in these studies. Gerald Jacobs has read very widely to collate this information. He does this with great success. The book opens with an introduction to the various techniques that can be used to measure the colour vision of animals. There arc many pitfalls in these testing methods. and he deals with them in detail. Chapter 3 is an overview of basic features of the eye. These first 90 pages are essential for a research worker embarking on similar studies. The remainder of the book deals with not only the common laboratory animals, such as cat and non-human primates, hut also with the frog, reptiles, fish, and birds. The last chapter is intentionally speculative and deals with the evolution of colour vision. It is written in a fascinating and interesting manner. Needless to say. one of the most useful aspects of the book is the excellent bibliography, which leads one straight into the hterature. The puhlishcrs arc to be congratulated for the compact and neat book sold at a reasonable price. F. W. Campbell Rattlesnake Venoms; Their Actions and Treatment. Edited by Anthony J. Tu. Pp. 416. Dekker, New York. 7982. Sfr. 214.00. This is an interesting book, covering most aspects of rattlesnake envenomation. Chapter one (Glenn and Straight) contains 75 photographs 01 all the rccogniscd rattlcsnake species. togcthcr with dihtrihution maps: however, additional information concerning major identification features would have hecn useful. Data concerning venom yield and toxicity is presented for each species. An important omission is that all subspecies of C’rolaluA willardi are protected. The two chapters describing the physiology (Hawgood) and pathology (Ownby) of envcnomation are both well organised and clearly presented. A chapter describing presynaptically active toxins (Hendon and Bichcr) contains an interesting historical account of the isolation and charactcrisation of crotoxin. Unfortunately not many rattlesnake venoms have been sequenced and thus the actual chemical content of the 5th chapter (Tu) is not cxtensivc; however the section on venom enzymes is useful. Presumably Tu chooses to compare rattlesnake venoms with Elapldae venoms instead of those of the more closely related Viperidae. because the latter arc not found in America. The final two chapters (Arnold and Glass) focus the reader’s attention on the current conflicting views concerning the management of rattlesnake envenomation,
including the use of anti-venins. The book, which is rather expensive, is not for the general reader. R. C. Hider Biology of Lampreys, Vol. 3. Edited by E. M. Hardisty and 1. C. Potter. Pp. 469. Academic Press, London. 1982. f43.60. Since the appearance a decade ago of the first two volumes of ‘Biology of Lampreys’ interest in this field has continued to grow, and there has been considerable progress in many areas. This has resulted in the publication of volume 3 of this work which, together with the forthcoming volume 4 and the earlier volumes, will provide a comprehensive survey of lamprey biology. The final volumes extend the coverage and make it more complete by filling in gaps left earlier, discussing some systems in greater detail and reviewing recent developments. Volume 3 is of the same format and high standard as its predecessors. Chapters are written by specialists and cover parasites. eyes, kidneys, the alimentary canal, the liver, the skeleton and the skin. The contributions are lucid, well illustrated, stimulating accounts, focusing attention on neglected aspects and emphasising adaptations to the complex life cycles involving metamorphosis and changing environments. Each provides an authoritative, comprehensive review of the topic. of interest to specialist research workers and also, in view of the primitive phylogenetic position of lampreys, to a wider biological audience. Much is still unknown, and if interest continues at this rate there will be scope for further volumes in another decade. C. R. Kennedy Spider Communication: Mechanisms and Ecological Significance. Edited by Peter N. Witt and Jerome S. Rovner. Pp. 440. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 1982. f21.10. This set of specially contributed papers will prove to be a landmark in the development of a fascinating and now active field of research; it will also prove attractive to a wide range of readers. The general discussions of spider communication provided by Witt and by Krafft will be useful to everyone. Sensory physiologists will be pleased by the sophistication of the work reviewed here on the mechanisms used by spiders in communicating by means of vibratory signals (Barth), visual signals (L. Forster), acoustic signals (Uctz & Stratton) and chcmica1 signals (Tietjen & Rovner). For behavioural ecologists there is careful discussion of courtship displays of jumping spiders (Jackson) and of social spacing (Burgess & Uetz), while Riechert applies game theory to spider interactions and Riechert & Luczak use optimization theory in analysing the behavioural responses to prey of spiders foraging in the field. Furthermore, the book will be enjoyed by the many people-both non-scientists and scientists-who have long found spiders the most fascinating group of
invertebrates and whose admiration will be increased after reading this up to date account of the multifarious and elegant adaptive mechanisms used by spiders in communicating with members of their own and other species. Peter Witt is to be congratulated for realizing that the time was ripe for a comprehensive survey of this field. He and Jerome Rovner have done an excellent editorial job, including the provision of an integrated bibliography and useful indices. N. Philip Ashmole Advances in Geology of the Porphyry Copper Deposits: Southwestern North America. Edited by Spencer R. Titley. Pp. 560. University of Arizona Press, Tucson. $35.00. South Western U.S.A. is exceptionally rich in porphyry copper deposits, as amply attested by this volume. The book reviews the results of prolific investigation of this important ore body type in the last two decades, with special reference to that area. A large majority of the thirty-two contributors are mining company geologists; the view of the field man is well represented. Part I deals with topics of general application to porphyry deposits. including their geological setting in S.W. U.S.A.; ore genesis; and exploration techniques. A more rounded, complete review would have been possible, however, if this section was less constrained by the geographical limitations of the title. Chapters dealing with fluid inclusion and isotope studies would have been useful. Descriptions of individual deposits are presented in Part II, which is the more useful section as much of the material is previously unpublished; a valuable source of new information. Unfortunately, many primary sources cited are not readily available. The volume is well illustrated with line drawings and maps, but proof-reading of the text can he faulted. Errors include hibliographical omissions. The book will hc valuahle to teachers of economic geology, and a useful library aquisition as rcferencc material. T. J. Halsall Water Quality Measurement. The ‘. Modern Analytical Techniques. Edited by M. B. Mark, Jr. and J. S. Mattson. Pp. 496. Dekker, New York. 1981. SFr. 164.00. Increasingly measurements of water quality are being made instrumentally in the interests of speed. reliability. and cost-effectiveness. Thus the need for texts dealing with modern analytical techniques for water quality monitoring is obvious. This is not a methods handbook nor is it written at the teaching text level; rather, it is a series of surveys of modern developments in technique and instrumentation. There are some 15 different contributors and hence considerable variability in critical depth. The greatest shortcoming of the
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By Gerald H. Press, New
The modern literature on colour vision is published in a very wide variety of journals. The reason for this is that many different animals in addition to the human, are used in these studies. Gerald Jacobs has read very widely to collate this information. He does this with great success. The book opens with an introduction to the various techniques that can be used to measure the colour vision of animals. There arc many pitfalls in these testing methods. and he deals with them in detail. Chapter 3 is an overview of basic features of the eye. These first 90 pages are essential for a research worker embarking on similar studies. The remainder of the book deals with not only the common laboratory animals, such as cat and non-human primates, hut also with the frog, reptiles, fish, and birds. The last chapter is intentionally speculative and deals with the evolution of colour vision. It is written in a fascinating and interesting manner. Needless to say. one of the most useful aspects of the book is the excellent bibliography, which leads one straight into the hterature. The puhlishcrs arc to be congratulated for the compact and neat book sold at a reasonable price. F. W. Campbell Rattlesnake Venoms; Their Actions and Treatment. Edited by Anthony J. Tu. Pp. 416. Dekker, New York. 7982. Sfr. 214.00. This is an interesting book, covering most aspects of rattlesnake envenomation. Chapter one (Glenn and Straight) contains 75 photographs 01 all the rccogniscd rattlcsnake species. togcthcr with dihtrihution maps: however, additional information concerning major identification features would have hecn useful. Data concerning venom yield and toxicity is presented for each species. An important omission is that all subspecies of C’rolaluA willardi are protected. The two chapters describing the physiology (Hawgood) and pathology (Ownby) of envcnomation are both well organised and clearly presented. A chapter describing presynaptically active toxins (Hendon and Bichcr) contains an interesting historical account of the isolation and charactcrisation of crotoxin. Unfortunately not many rattlesnake venoms have been sequenced and thus the actual chemical content of the 5th chapter (Tu) is not cxtensivc; however the section on venom enzymes is useful. Presumably Tu chooses to compare rattlesnake venoms with Elapldae venoms instead of those of the more closely related Viperidae. because the latter arc not found in America. The final two chapters (Arnold and Glass) focus the reader’s attention on the current conflicting views concerning the management of rattlesnake envenomation,
including the use of anti-venins. The book, which is rather expensive, is not for the general reader. R. C. Hider Biology of Lampreys, Vol. 3. Edited by E. M. Hardisty and 1. C. Potter. Pp. 469. Academic Press, London. 1982. f43.60. Since the appearance a decade ago of the first two volumes of ‘Biology of Lampreys’ interest in this field has continued to grow, and there has been considerable progress in many areas. This has resulted in the publication of volume 3 of this work which, together with the forthcoming volume 4 and the earlier volumes, will provide a comprehensive survey of lamprey biology. The final volumes extend the coverage and make it more complete by filling in gaps left earlier, discussing some systems in greater detail and reviewing recent developments. Volume 3 is of the same format and high standard as its predecessors. Chapters are written by specialists and cover parasites. eyes, kidneys, the alimentary canal, the liver, the skeleton and the skin. The contributions are lucid, well illustrated, stimulating accounts, focusing attention on neglected aspects and emphasising adaptations to the complex life cycles involving metamorphosis and changing environments. Each provides an authoritative, comprehensive review of the topic. of interest to specialist research workers and also, in view of the primitive phylogenetic position of lampreys, to a wider biological audience. Much is still unknown, and if interest continues at this rate there will be scope for further volumes in another decade. C. R. Kennedy Spider Communication: Mechanisms and Ecological Significance. Edited by Peter N. Witt and Jerome S. Rovner. Pp. 440. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 1982. f21.10. This set of specially contributed papers will prove to be a landmark in the development of a fascinating and now active field of research; it will also prove attractive to a wide range of readers. The general discussions of spider communication provided by Witt and by Krafft will be useful to everyone. Sensory physiologists will be pleased by the sophistication of the work reviewed here on the mechanisms used by spiders in communicating by means of vibratory signals (Barth), visual signals (L. Forster), acoustic signals (Uctz & Stratton) and chcmica1 signals (Tietjen & Rovner). For behavioural ecologists there is careful discussion of courtship displays of jumping spiders (Jackson) and of social spacing (Burgess & Uetz), while Riechert applies game theory to spider interactions and Riechert & Luczak use optimization theory in analysing the behavioural responses to prey of spiders foraging in the field. Furthermore, the book will be enjoyed by the many people-both non-scientists and scientists-who have long found spiders the most fascinating group of
invertebrates and whose admiration will be increased after reading this up to date account of the multifarious and elegant adaptive mechanisms used by spiders in communicating with members of their own and other species. Peter Witt is to be congratulated for realizing that the time was ripe for a comprehensive survey of this field. He and Jerome Rovner have done an excellent editorial job, including the provision of an integrated bibliography and useful indices. N. Philip Ashmole Advances in Geology of the Porphyry Copper Deposits: Southwestern North America. Edited by Spencer R. Titley. Pp. 560. University of Arizona Press, Tucson. $35.00. South Western U.S.A. is exceptionally rich in porphyry copper deposits, as amply attested by this volume. The book reviews the results of prolific investigation of this important ore body type in the last two decades, with special reference to that area. A large majority of the thirty-two contributors are mining company geologists; the view of the field man is well represented. Part I deals with topics of general application to porphyry deposits. including their geological setting in S.W. U.S.A.; ore genesis; and exploration techniques. A more rounded, complete review would have been possible, however, if this section was less constrained by the geographical limitations of the title. Chapters dealing with fluid inclusion and isotope studies would have been useful. Descriptions of individual deposits are presented in Part II, which is the more useful section as much of the material is previously unpublished; a valuable source of new information. Unfortunately, many primary sources cited are not readily available. The volume is well illustrated with line drawings and maps, but proof-reading of the text can he faulted. Errors include hibliographical omissions. The book will hc valuahle to teachers of economic geology, and a useful library aquisition as rcferencc material. T. J. Halsall Water Quality Measurement. The ‘. Modern Analytical Techniques. Edited by M. B. Mark, Jr. and J. S. Mattson. Pp. 496. Dekker, New York. 1981. SFr. 164.00. Increasingly measurements of water quality are being made instrumentally in the interests of speed. reliability. and cost-effectiveness. Thus the need for texts dealing with modern analytical techniques for water quality monitoring is obvious. This is not a methods handbook nor is it written at the teaching text level; rather, it is a series of surveys of modern developments in technique and instrumentation. There are some 15 different contributors and hence considerable variability in critical depth. The greatest shortcoming of the
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