The Great Lakes Entomologist The Great Lakes Entomologist

The Great Lakes Entomologist
Volume 2
Numbers 1/2 -- Spring/Summer 1969 Numbers Article 12
1/2 -- Spring/Summer 1969
June 2017
Introduction to Zoology. T. H. Savory. New York: Philosophical

Library, 1968. viii, 239 pp. $6.00.
Sigurd Nelson Jr.
Michigan State University
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Part of the Entomology Commons
Recommended Citation
Nelson, Sigurd Jr. 2017. "Introduction to Zoology. T. H. Savory. New York: Philosophical Library, 1968. viii,
239 pp. $6.00.," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 2 (1)
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol2/iss1/12
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Biology at ValpoScholar. It has
been accepted for inclusion in The Great Lakes Entomologist by an authorized administrator of ValpoScholar. For
more information, please contact a ValpoScholar staff member at [email protected].
Nelson: Introduction to Zoology
1969 THE MICHIGAN ENTOMOLOGIST 43
galls and their makers and discusses the basic life histories, alternation
of generations, and effects of the agent on the host. He concludes with a
short chapter on collecting and preserving galls.
The book is generous with. its illustrations--some 293 photos and drawings in
full color and nearly two dozen in black and white showing representative
galls, gall occupants, and a few 'non-galls'. The annotated list, which occupies
one-half of the book, is arranged systemically by order of host plant accord-
ing to Warburg's Flora of the British Isles (1962), and covers galls of ferns,
coniferous and deciduous trees, shurbs, flowers, and grasses. Each annotation
lists the host, location and description of the gall, type and name of the agent,
biology of the agent, and other interesting addenda.
The author's objectives a r e three-fold: to provide a means of gall identifica-
tion from easily found field characters; to outline the mode of life of the prin-
cipal gall-causing agents; and to suggest means of investigating galls in the
field and in the home. He has certainly fulfilled these objectives. At the
same time he has attempted to attain a measure of simplicity in order to
appeal to a wide audience, but still maintain precision and accuracy.
This book has limited use for gall identification in America. Gall-makers
a r e often highly host specific, s o only a few of the galls represented a r e com-
mon to both sides of the Atlantic, and then mainly because the same hosts
areinbothplaces. Yet T h e Pocket Encyclopedia of Plant Galls will be of
great interest to the American entomologist because of the excellent treatment
of its non-taxonomic aspects. I t should be useful to the amateur who has a
casual interest in galls, and to the more seasoned gall-oriented veteran.
Louis F . Wilson
North Central Forest Experiment Station
East Lansing
INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. T. H. Savory. New York: Philosophical Li-

brary, 1968. viii, 239 pp. $6.00.
This book would delight the traditional zoologist a s its emphasis is on syste-
matics and evolution. primarily based on morphology. By the author's own
admission he neglects a r e a s concerning histology, embryology, physiology and
genetics, while giving little time to a r e a s he terms animal biology--symbiosis,
parthenogenesis, behavior and parasitism. Dr. Savory feels the aforementioned
areas warrant volumes of their own. Yet this book i s titled Introdrrction to
Zoology. Perhaps a better title would be Introrlrrction to Zoology, Part I. Sys-
ternatirs and Ec0111tion.
The book i s divided into four parts. P a r t One, Introductory Zoology, is con-
cerned with the approach pursued in the succeeding pages. P a r t Two, Sys-
tematic Zoology, includes fundamental concepts related to the classificatory
system, its basis, aims and limitations. Included within this section are actual
classificatory schemes with emphasis on variability in different schemes due
to ignorance, uncertainty and personal opinion. P a r t Two is culminated by a
brief treatise on nomenclature. With this systematic basis i t is unfortunate
that the book was published without italicizing or o.therwise denoting generic
and species names.
Published by ValpoScholar, 2017 1

The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 2, No. 1 [2017], Art. 12
44 THE MICHIGAN ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 2. Nos. 1-2
P a r t s Three and Four concern invertebrates and vertebrates respectively.

Each chapter begins with the characteristics of a taxon followed by the charac-
teristics of lower taxa. A discussion follows using representative species. In
these sections, little known groups such a s Tardigrada and Pycnogonida a r e
included. These groups ordinarily a r e not present in introductory works and
represent a welcome addition.
The critical reader might question several statements made by the author.
One would argue a s to the viability of the ookinete, the diploblastic nature of
ctenophorans, whether nematodes a r e acoelomate,.and the absence of eyes in
millipeds, to mention a few. In addition, many illustrations used in the text
have questionable value, especially since they lack labels.
In spite of the above criticism. I would recommend this book to laymen inter-
ested in systematics and evolution, by no means a s a definitive work, but a s a
guide to important concepts. Its place a s an introductory text r e h a i n s doubt-
ful. although in conjunction with other volumes i t s niche would be filled. How-
ever. the combined price would be excessive.
Sigurd Nelson, J r .
Dept. of Zoology
E a s t Lansing
B R I E F NOTICES
SPIDERS, SCORPIONS, CENTIPEDES AND MITES. J.L. Cloudsley-Thomp-

son. Oxford, London and New York: Pergamon Press. 1968. xv. 278 pp. 25s
(U.K. only).
SPIDERS AND THEIR KIN. Herbert W. Levi and Lorna R. Levi. New York:
Golden Press, 1968. 160 pp. $1.00.
The near simultaneous appearance of these two paperbacks on arachnids,

myriapods, and terrestrial crustaceans, written in an informative and non-
technical manner, will be welcomed by those seeking a general survey of these
groups.
Cloudsley-Thompson's book, a corrected and slightly revised edition of the
1958 publication, gives equal treatment to the various groups, with emphasis
on their biology. I t is well illustrated with 40 text figures and 18 halftone plates.
Following the 11 chapters a r e a general bibliography, classificatory index, glos-
sary and index of scientific terms, and an index of general topics.
The Levis' book is another in the excellent Golden Nature Guide series. I t is
profusely illustrated with color paintings by Nicholas Strekalovsky, and is
primarily concernedwithNorth American spiders, with brief introductory
comments on biology, collecting, preserving, and rearing. This attractive
little book will serve a s an identifcation guide for the non-specialist, and should
stimulate further interest in these neglected and often-feared animals.
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The Great Lakes Entomologist

Introduction to Zoology. T. H. Savory. New York: Philosophical

Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle

Part of the Entomology Commons

1969 THE MICHIGAN ENTOMOLOGIST 43

INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. T. H. Savory. New York: Philosophical Li-

Published by ValpoScholar, 2017 1

44 THE MICHIGAN ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 2. Nos. 1-2

P a r t s Three and Four concern invertebrates and vertebrates respectively.

SPIDERS, SCORPIONS, CENTIPEDES AND MITES. J.L. Cloudsley-Thomp-

The near simultaneous appearance of these two paperbacks on arachnids,

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