Re: SCRAPPING TYRANNOSAURS..

["JOHN C. ROBINSON" <jcrobin@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu>]

On Tue, 28 Nov 1995 Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:

> In a recent Scientific American article on extinct flightless predatory
> birds, the author depicted some kind of phorusrhacid subduing its prey (a
> small ungulate) by kicking it over _on the run_ and ingesting it whole. What
> do you think of that?
> 
Certainly kicking or tripping to knock over is a viable means of stopping 
prey, but off the top of my head, I can only think of quadrupeds which use that 
technique (some big cats (and maybe some dogs/wolves?)).  Of course, 
anyone who knows Moas, Ostriches, Emus and Cassowaries better than my 
sketchy info may have more to say on that.
Phorusrhacids, with that huge meat-cleaver beak, and Tyrannosaurs with 
the giant toothy head seem more appropriately designed to slam/bite 
whatever they wanted to eat, regardless of their kicking ability or 
balletic skills.  Incidentally, how about Tyrannosaur arms as potential
shock-absorbers in a high-speed biting attack/collision (or are they too 
short for that, too?).  Please criticise freely.
                                Regards,
                                        JR