This volume is based on the NATO Advanced Study Institute, "Advances in Mor­ phometries" held in 11 Ciocco, Tuscany, Italy from July 18-30, 1993, and directed by Leslie F. Marcus. The "Advances in Morphometries" ASI was advertised in Nature and a number of professional journals. Announcements were sent to relevant institutions and departments throughout the world. Because NATO required that the majority of attendees be from NATO countries, the 71 persons attending represented nine NATO countries, four eastern European countries, now recognized as equal partners for AS Is, and a few participants from non-NATO countries. Participants were all active scholars in different disciplines within biology, as well as computer science, statistics,