might consider easing this task by either indicating the most significant references or by providing a brief description of each.

A few of the articles included in this volume are notable exceptions to the above criticisms. The reviews of Alzheimer's dis- ease (Miiiler-Hill and Beyreuther) and of glycosylation in the nucleus and cytoplasm (Hart, Haltwinger, Holt, and Kelly) are, for example, more than just repositories of in- formation. It is unfortunately true, however, that the chapter that will probably be read by most is again the prefatory chapter and the contribution by Arthur Kornberg maintains the excellent tradition that these have estab- lished.

John Davey

Neurotoxins in Neurochemistry. Edited by J. Oliver Dolly. Pp. 251. Ellis Horwood, Chichester. 1988. £39.95.

This volume is an account of the proceedings of a meeting held in Venezuela in 1987. Many of the contributions are published in the form of mini-reviews that have clearly not benefitted from a process of peer-review, and several contain material that must be considered in this light. Each of the contribu- tions has, however, been produced by work- ers well known in the field, and none can be considered trivial. The contributions I like to read in such volumes are those containing work of high scientific merit, presented in a provocative and stimulating way, complete with a decently speculative discussion. The chapter by Low and Corfield on the toxin- binding site of the acetylcholine receptor is one of the best in this volume, but others are worthy of note - that by Dolly et al. on transmitter release and K + channels is typi- cally broad and far-reaching; that by Gray on conotoxins is a good summary of an impor- tant group of toxins; and the chapters discus- sing Porifera toxins and Pardaxin respective- ly contain some interesting material on neurotoxins not commonly covered in similar volumes.

Who would benefit from this volume? Most certainly, young neurochemists and physiologists wanting an introduction to the biology of toxins and their uses. Experienced 'toxinologists' may find too much here that has been published elsewhere.

John B. Harris

Practical Biochemistry for Colleges. Edited by E. J. Wood, Pp. 225. Pergamon Press, Oxford. 1989. £27.50; US$ 50.00.

This is a volume that has been long awaited by readers of Biochemical Education and the Editor is to be congratulated on his efforts. It is a compendium of selected laboratory ex- periments that have been published in the above journal since the first issue in 1972. All the experiments have the virtue of being 'tried and tested' by students and teachers, and the descriptions have been re-checked by the original authors. The book is divided into six sections: with experiments on en- zymes and enzymology; biochemical techni-

46

ques; metabolism; molecular biology; model building; and clinical biochemistry. Taking the sections on enzymes and metabolism as examples, the experiments themselves, ranged from a simple class demonstration of alkaline phosphatase activity to a study of the distribution of flux control coefficients in an in vitro metabolic system. Many can be used as the basis for extended project work either by individual students or by small groups. As well as practical details nearly all the procedures are accompanied by back- ground information and references for furth- er study. The book will have a ready appeal to teachers who are looking for new ideas at all levels of expertise in practical bioche- mistry.

P. A. Gabbott

Chambers Biology Dictionary. Edited by Peter M. B. Walker. Pp. 324. Cambridge University Press. 1989. Paperback £8.95, US$14.95.

When a new computer-based edition of 'Chambers Science and Technology Diction- ary' appeared in 1988 it was generally wel- comed as a useful addition to the reference- book library. Now the same data base has been used to prepare a 'Chambers Biology Dictionary'. For this some 10000 entries with a biological connotation - including genetics and behavioural science - have been selected from the 45000 contained in the major work. It must be noted, however, that the wording of these selected entries is identical with that in the original. All that is offered that is new is 100 explanatory sections of variable length dealing with such themes as AIDS (one page) and poison (twelve lines). Additional- ly, there are 80 line drawings.

This is an excellent little dictionary of biology, reasonably priced both in itself and relative to its parent. But as most biologists have interests beyond their discipline some might consider the larger work better value at £30.00.

Trevor L Williams

Cell Biology of Mammalian Egg Manipulation. Proceedings of Symposium, Copenhagen, October 1988. Edited by T. Greve, P. Hyttel and Barbara J. Weir. Pp. 173. Journals of Reproduction and Fertility, Cambridge and Biochemical Society Book Depot, Colchester. 1989. £25.00; US$ 47.50.

The proceedings of this symposium are in two sections. The first deals with fun- damental aspects of the development and maturation of oocytes, their fertilisation, and early embryonic development. In the second section the practical implications of this in- formation are pursued. The major part of this section, and indeed of the whole sympo- sium, is directed towards the problem areas of in vitro fertilization and the subsequent development of oocytes. In addition there are chapters on the methods and potentials of gene mapping in farm animals, sperm microinjection in humans and mice, gene

transfer in cattle, and nuclear transfer in mice.

The division of topics between the two sections is not shown on the contents page. This, with the interposition of the chapters dealing with laboratory species among the majority which are based on farm animal research, makes the sequence of papers appear disjointed. However, this does not detract from the quality of the individual contributions. A few of the authors have prefaced their papers with summaries. This is helpful. The 16 review articles which are presented are lucid, amply supplied with references, and well illustrated. The whole provides a welcome account of the current state of knowledge in a rapidly developing area of biotechnology.

R. F. E. Axford

The Fragile Environment. The Darwin College Lectures. Edited by Laurie Friday and Ronald Laskey. Pp. 198. Cambridge University Press. 1989. £12.95; US$19.95.

The Editors' declared aim is to provide some accessible top quality science for the non- specialist. For 'non-specialist' read 'intelli- gent erudite academic or similar' and one gets a better measure of the apparent audi- ence. The eight essays on various facets of the global environment were originally given as lectures, and in a number of cases they still read that way. The author or authoress, in person, may have been able to explain the abstruse and clarify the confusing a little better.

Could it simply be, one wonders, that the reader gets most from those essays which interest him or her? Not so. Two which work excellently are Goudie on the impact of mankind down the ages and Bolin on the changing climate. Both deal with a subject of general interest (on which one hears much half-informed speculation) with skill and breadth.

The contrast is with two more specific subjects (the future of forests by Myers and the number of species on earth by May) which I turned to with great interest. These left one respectively annoyed by jargon and bewildered by technicality. The tragedy is that both superbly well informed authors have some fascinating points to make. May's fundamental point - that we do not know by an order of magnitude how many species share the planet with us - is especially note- worthy.

Each essay contains striking facts of that quality. For example, Dasgupta's elegant piece on exhaustable resources suggests Bri- tain's industrial revolution may have been based not on our richness in coal but on our resource, weakness in lack of wood. Again Whitehead, remarkably amongst writers on famine, accepts that grandiose projects like dams may actually be a good thing.

Not the easiest of reads but constantly stimulating. One just craves a slightly tougher editorial line on technical explana- tions.

Malcolm Bell