Re: Hostility!!!!!!!

[ornstn@inforamp.net (Ronald Orenstein)]

>   Why are ornithologists (especially Feduccia) so hostile to the idea of
>dinosaurian descent for birds?

First of all, I think the attitude I have encountered is better summed up by
Feduccia's statement in "The Age of Birds", p. 37 (1980):  "On the evidence
so far, it is difficult to choose between the dinosaurian and pseudosuchian
theories of avian ancestry.  Both have much to recommend them, but perhaps
an early, generalized pseudosuchian is a slightly better candidate."  This
strikes me as mild disagreement, not "hostility", and in 1980, after some of
Larry Martin's work appeared, was probably a pretty fair statement.
>
>   Are ornithologists (especially Feduccia) as ignorant of the mechanics of
>fossilization as they come off in the articles/interviews they are featured in?

May I suggest that this varies?  And I can't comment on Feduccia here as I
hardly know the man - but as an ornithologist (who strongly favours the dino
origin if birds) might I suggest you come up with specifics as opposed to
general insults?

>   Are ornithologists in general not familiar with dinosaurian anatomy, but
>dinosaur paleontologists *are* familiar with avian anatomy?

Of course most ornithologists are more knowlegdeable about birds than
dinosaurs - just  as herpetologists know more about reptiles than they do
about crossopterygian fishes.  However, I wonder how knowledgeable many dino
people are about bird anatomy (as opposed to the features of Mesozoic birds)?

--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886 (home)
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116 (home)
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