Re: flights of fancy (or "I'm brave, but I'm chicken****")

[ornstn@inforamp.net (Ronald Orenstein)]

GO:

>The complex structure of the flight feathers of _Archaeopteryx_ practically
>guarantees that the feathers were there well before either _Archaeopteryx_ or
>_Deinonychus_.
>
>
Temporally, yes.  Phylogenetically, yes as far as Archaeopteryx is
concerned.  But there is no evidence to my knowledge that Deinonychus or any
of its direct ancestors (I assume you are not claiming that Archaeopteryx is
a direct ancestor) ever had feathers.

Speculation - yes.  Arguments - yes.  Restorations - yes.  Devoutly-held
beliefs - yes.  Just no evidence.
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886 (home)
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116 (home)
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