Review by Choice Review
Written by 14 respected and active investigators in the field, this book is intended as an authoritative volume on comparative vertebrate endocrinology. As a textbook for advanced undergraduates or graduate students, this reviewer found it a rather unsavory affair-too many cooks. The editors have not done their job; the writing styles, choice of subtopics, and the order in which the subtopics are presented varies considerably from author to author and hence from chapter to chapter. ``Comparative'' studies are inherently difficult because they demand a large database from which to draw, through inductive reasoning, general evolutionary trends and principles. Failure to organize this mass of material in a consistent fashion makes this challenging task more difficult and more unpalatable to the student. This diversity of approaches and styles might be acceptable if this book were meant to be a reference source. But alas, dogmatic statements are not supported by primary references nor is there an extensive bibliography.-D.M. Senseman, University of Texas at San Antonio
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
