BOOK REVIEWS
Stevens CE, Hume ID. Comparative Physiology of the
Vertebrate Digestive System, 2nd ed. Cambridge
University Press, New York, 1996. 400 pp. ISBN 0-521-
44418-7. $79.95 US.
This is the 2nd edition of a book that will appeal to a
wide variety of readers, including anyone with an
interest in gastroenterology, comparative physiology, or
nutrition (or anatomy, since a quarter of the book is
devoted to the comparative anatomy of the digestive
tract). I know of no other book at this level that covers
such a wide range of species from primitive fish to
mammals. Although the focus of the book is on verte-
brates, the chapter on the evolution of the digestive
system includes illuminating material on invertebrates
relating their adaptations to those found in vertebrates.
The authors introduce their subject with a chapter
on nutrition, in which they point out the importance
of the function of the digestive tract to the animal's
adaptation to its ecological niche. This is followed by a
discussion of the general features of the digestive system
of vertebrates followed by descriptions of the digestive
tracts of representative vertebrates. These chapters are
illustrated by the standardized diagrams of the digestive
tracts for which Stevens is well known. Seeing these dia-
grams renewed my appreciation for the comparative
approach to anatomy and physiology.
Chapter 5 deals with the motor activity of the tract. The
discussion is largely limited to domesticated mammals,
reflecting the state of the literature. Comments on the
motor function of various organs in different species are
included in Chapters 3 and 4, but it is unfortunate that
there is not enough information available for a broader
comparison of the different types of motility. The excep-
tion is the discussion of the motility of the large intestine,
where comparisons among various mammals, birds,
and amphibians give rise to interesting speculations
about the evolution of the control of colonic motility.
In the new edition, transit and retention of digesta have
been given a separate chapter, reflecting the increased
information available on these topics, which connect
motility and nutrition. Both comparative studies and
the development of models have improved our under-
standing of transit mechanisms and their relationship to
the nutritional ecology of the animal. Developments
in marker technology have enabled studies to be done on
the rate of transit of particles and fluid in a wide variety
of vertebrates, extending the older work done on her-
bivorous mammals and, particularly, on ruminants. The
authors present fascinating work showing that in small
hindgut fermenters, the small particles and fluid are
selectively retained in the hindgut, thus allowing more
effective microbial activity, while the larger particles are
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COMPTES RENDUS DE LIVRES
eliminated, reducing their effect on appetite. This sort
of adaptation is crucial in smaller roughage eaters,
since the efficiency of the small fermentation vat must
be maximized.
The chapter on digestion and absorption is relatively
short but includes some valuable comparative material;
for instance, on chitin and the distribution of chitinase
activity (endogenous or microbial) in vertebrates. An
interesting section compares the digestive efficiency
of reptiles and mammals and explains the differences.
There is a good, though brief, section on the ontogeny of
digestion. The information on lactase distribution and
milk composition that is quoted should be known to all
who may be involved in the feeding of orphaned mam-
mals. This chapter is followed by 1 on microbial fer-
mentation that is much longer, reflecting the interests of
the authors.
Chapter 9 is a good summary of current knowledge on
the secretion and absorption of electrolytes and water, a
topic in which a great deal of research has been carried
out over recent years. While the details differ across
species, the basic mechanisms are common to vertebrates
(in fact, the early work on electrolyte transport was
done on frog skin). The authors point out that the dif-
ferences among the secretory patterns and mechanisms
of different genera reflect adaptations to the natural
diets and feeding behavior, and that disease may result
from the mismatch between these patterns and the diets
and feeding patterns imposed on domestic animals
(or adopted by humans). The next chapter is a useful
review of the neuroendocrine control of the gut, another
hot topic of research, but with little information relating
species differences to adaptations.
For me, the most interesting part of the book was
Chapter 11, dealing with the evolution of the diges-
tive system in invertebrates as well as in vertebrates, with
an emphasis on herbivorous mammals. The evidence is
that the earliest mammals were small carnivores. The 1st
herbivores must have been browsers, selecting a
highly digestible diet. As the climate cooled, the forests
retreated and grasslands appeared. Fermentation
appeared as an adaptation enabling the digestion of
cellulose, initially in the hindgut. The authors suggest
that, at least in marsupials, foregut fermenters may
have evolved from animals in which the stomach had
enlarged, because this enabled animals to eat rapidly then
hide from predators (an interesting echo of an old expla-
nation of rumination).
In their concluding chapter, Stevens and Hume list
some of the common features of vertebrate digestive sys-
tems, as well as the differences, and outline some of the
benefits of the comparative approach for basic science,
for human and veterinary gastroenterology and
Can Vet J Volume 38, September 1997
 conservation biology. They describe some of the devel-
opments that have occurred since the 1st edition of
their book and list areas that they consider deserve
further attention.
My final comment would be that this is a great read for
anyone with a bit of background in physiology and
Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, eds. Avian
Medicine: Principles and Application. Abridged edition.
Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, Florida, 1997. 809 pp.
ISBN 0-9636996-5-2. $69.00 US (+SH).
A mong the major contributions to the field of avian
medicine was the 1986 publication of Avian
Medicine and Surgery by Harrison and Harrison. In
1994, the publication of the long-awaited revised and
expanded edition, with Ritchie as coeditor, constituted
another milestone. The bible, as it is often referred to, is
the result of many respected authors contributing author-
itative chapters. This expensive, but as yet unparalleled,
compilation of current knowledge in avian medicine, now
available on CD-ROM, is present on the shelf of all seri-
ous avian clinicians and pathologists. The book that is the
subject of this review is a soft-cover pocket, abridged,
practitioner-oriented, quick reference version of the
classic 1994 edition of the same name.
The book's cover and overall appearance is esthetically
pleasing, very similar in color tones and pattern to the
original edition (OE). It certainly meets the pocket
book criterion in that it is much lighter and smaller
than the cumbersome original tome and will fit easily into
a lab coat pocket or a student's bag. The book is sturdy,
but its ability to withstand the daily, or multiple-times-
a-day, use that it is meant to tolerate remains unknown.
The contents are listed in exactly the same order and
under perfectly identical bold headings to the OE,
thereby facilitating its use by those who are familiar with
the latter. The difference lies in the text. Information
more likely to be of immediate use by the clinician has
been extracted and condensed, but the reader in need of
more detailed or additional information is referred to the
OE. This undoubtedly arduous task was well carried out
by Donald Zantop, himself an avian practitioner. For this
abridged edition, the formulary was slightly modified and
updated. The formulary is marked in black at the margin
of the pages, so that it is quickly accessible without
referring to the index. Several short editors' notes are
added to supply the reader with recent data. Tables in the
appendix have also been slightly modified to facilitate
their use. Most clinically relevant tables are repro-
duced, but there are no color plates or black and white
pictures, and only a few illustrations and drawings have
been retained.
The clinician or student will find this book user
friendly. For example, it is easy to look up the proper
approach and appropriate course of action for an egg-
bound or dyspneic patient, a differential list for the
fluffed-up bird, common diseases in a given species, the
dosage of a drug, normal blood parameter reference
Can Vet J Volume 38, September 1997
anatomy and an interest in evolution - though it is
rather expensive.
Reviewed by Harold W. Chapman, BVSc, PhD, Depart-
ment of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College,
University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NJG 2W1.
intervals, or a quick list of possibilities when con-
fronted with abnormal hematologic findings, etc,.
The main shortcoming of the book is the paucity of
illustrations, which seriously compromises the useful-
ness of various chapters. The hematology, cytology,
radiology, and endoscopy sections are particularly defi-
cient when compared with the OE. From the reviewer's
standpoint and his perception of the intended purpose of
the abridged edition, chapters such as "the avian flock,"
"defense mechanisms of the avian host," "future pre-
ventive medicine," and "practice dynamics," as good as
they are, are less relevant and rarely necessitate imme-
diate or urgent consultation, so they could have been sub-
stituted by illustrations of wing and beak trimming,
leg band removal, venipuncture technique, and other
common procedures the novice avian clinician or vet-
erinary student is more likely to perform on a daily basis.
In the appendix, there is the same unreferenced list of
Orders and common and scientific names of the Class
Aves that is present in the OE.
This list is, in the reviewer's opinion, the major flaw
in the OE. It serves to confuse the reader, as it conforms
neither to the standard classification scheme used in
most ornithology textbooks, nor to the newer, still con-
troversial, DNA hybridization technique based classi-
fication scheme (1). The genera of many scientific names
differ from those conventionally accepted. This list
contains many typos (Tinaminiformes [Tinamiformes],
Antinae [Anatinae], Somteria [Somateria], oscillated
turkey [ocellated turkey], white-rumpted canary [white-
rumped]), and many incongruities, reflecting a general
lack of care in its preparation.
Whether the significantly lower cost and the conve-
nient format of the abridged edition outweigh its short-
comings and justify its acquisition is a matter of personal
choice. This book may benefit most the student on rota-
tion who wishes to have readily available quick access
to quality information on avian medicine and surgery.
The novice or occasional avian clinician will also find
it filled with valuable information but should seriously
consider purchasing the full edition, or other recently
published and more affordable textbooks, prior to pur-
chasing this abridged edition.
Reviewed by Jean Pare, DMV, IPSAV, Senior
Veterinary Resident, Animal Health Centre, Metro
Toronto Zoo, 361A Old Finch Avenue, Scarborough,
Ontario MIB 5K7.
1. Hoyo J. del, Elliott A, Sargatal J. Handbook of the Birds of the
World, vol 1. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, 1992.
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