One of the most obvious changes that has occurred in behavioural biology
in recent years is that it has become conspicuously a problem orientated
subject. Moreover, one of the most impor- tant consequences of this has
been to stimulate interdisciplinary links between evolutionary biology,
zoology, ecology, anthro- pology and psychology. The time is now right
to ask questions which relate whole animals in the contexts of their
ecosystems, with their social behaviour and development, with their
perceptual and cog- nitive capacities. These are new ways of looking at
old problems, but we are still at the stage of finding out what kinds of
questions to ask. For several years now I have been involved in teaching
behavioural biology to students of psychology as well as zoology, and
have greatly appreciated the opportunity to relate material across many
different subject areas. It is the interfacing of prob- lems, as in
ecology and psychology for example, that makes 'more sense' of topics
such as 'intelligence', responses to 'novelty', feeding strategies and
socialleaming. The aim of the book is to provide readily digestible
information in a number of areas of current interest in behavioural
biology. Above all, it is intended to provide a basis for discussion and
further inquiry.