Book review: ‘Hen's Teeth & Horse's Toes’ by Stephen Jay Gould

Science essays.

Hen's Teeth & Horse's Toes

The third of Stephen Jay Gould’s long-running series of popular science essay collections that first appeared in his monthly column in Natural History magazine, Hen's Teeth & Horse's Toes covers topics which include:

  • evolutionary oddities (e.g. the eponymous horse's toes);
  • evolutionary adaptations;
  • essays on a number of scientists;
  • the Piltdown Man forgery;
  • science and politics;
  • extinction;
  • zebras.

As with all of Gould’s essay collections, this is a fantastic book, although I wouldn't classify it amongst my particular favourites. But highly recommended, nevertheless.

Note: I will receive a small referral fee if you buy this book via one of the above links.

Richard Carter

A fat, bearded chap with a Charles Darwin fixation.