Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2001
Rendell and Whitehead's thorough review dispels notions that cultureis an exclusive faculty of humans and higher primates. We applaudthe authors, but differ with them regarding the evolution ofcetacean culture, which we argue resulted from the availability ofabundant but spatially and temporally patchy prey such as schoolingfish. We propose two examples of gene-culture coevolution: (1)acoustic abilities and acoustic traditions, and (2) transmission ofenvironmental information and longevity.