This encyclopedia set, part of the Macmillan Science Library series, is designed to accommodate middle-school students through college undergraduates. The work contains approximately 300 signed entries on a variety of topics relating to animal science, including animal development, functions, behavior, ecology, and evolution.The connection between animals and humans is also explored in entries such as Animal testing, Apiculture, and Domestic animals. Also included are biographies of noted scientists who have made ''significant contributions'' to the field (for example,Henry Walter Bates, Rachel Carson, Gregor Mendel) as well as introductions to career opportunities in the related disciplines. Articles appear in alphabetical order and range in length from several paragraphs to several pages. All are accompanied by see also references and further reading suggestions (including Web sites). Each volume begins with a complete table of contents, a geological time scale, five- and six-kingdom classification comparisons, a phylogenetic tree of life, and a chart of measurements, abbreviations, and conversions. Each concludes with a topic outline,an index (volume 4 contains a cumulative index), and a 600-plus-word glossary.