Re(2): T. rex eggs and brooding

[Lars_Bergquist@public.se (Lars Bergquist)]

On 95-02-08 at 04.41, Crpntr@ix.netcom.com wrote:

> I am skeptical that a 35 ft. T. rex, let alone a 80 foot sauropod,
> could  hunker down in a nest to keep the eggs warm with their body. 
> Besides, the egg-body contact surface area  would be small and heat transfer
> minimal.

There are a number of living reptiles, including the crocs, and also
some species of birds, that make a nice compost and bury the eggs
in them. The heat of decomposition keeps the eggs warm. Mom, and
sometimes Pop too, hang around to defend the site and to regulate the
temperature by scratching away or piling up more material.

The dinos, of course, knew no physics or microbiology, had no
thermometers, and had never heard of either Mr. Fahrenheit or
Mr. Celsius. But neither have the crocodilians  so a dino would
not have to be smarter than a croc to pull off this trick. Natural
selection does it all, by courtesy of Mr. Darwin.

Lars Bergquist
lars_bergquist@public.se
(lexicographer ... "a harmless drudge" according to Dr. Johnson,
so bear with me)

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