  The behaviour of electrical resistivity ($\rho$) and magnetoresistance in the
vicinity of respective magnetic ordering temperatures in a number of Gd alloys
is reported. In some compounds, e.g., GdNi_2Sn_2 and GdPt_2Ge_2, there is an
enhancement of $\rho$ prior to long range magnetic order over a wide
temperature range which can be highlighted by the suppression of $\rho$ caused
by the application of a magnetic field. However, such features are absent in
many other Gd compounds, e.g., GdCu_2Ge_2, GdAg_2Si_2, GdAu_2Si_2, GdPd_2Ge_2
and GdCo_2Si_2. Attempts to relate such features to magnetic precursor effects
in heat capacity are made. On the basis of our studies, we suggest that better
understanding of magnetic precursor effects in Gd alloys will be helpful to
throw light on some of the current trends in magnetism. Various other
interesting findings in the magnetically ordered state in some of these alloys
are also brought out.
