Fw: Velociraptor Footprints

["Peter Von Sholly" <vonrex@gte.net>]

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> From: Dictator-for-life Calvin <MWEDEL@gslan.offsys.ou.edu>
> To: vonrex@gte.net
> Subject: Re: Velociraptor Footprints
> Date: Wednesday, August 20, 1997 6:07 AM
> 
> I always wondered about that pad-on-the-toe thing.  I mean, cats have 
> retractable claws on every toe.  Using the traditional dromaeosaur 
> model, they shouldn't leave footprints at all!  BTW, I don't know if 
> you meant to post this to the group or not, since you sent it 
> directly to me, but here's a copy back if you'd like to.
> 
> Matt Wedel
> ------------------------
> 
> Reply-to:      <vonrex@gte.net>
> From:          "Peter Von Sholly" <vonrex@gte.net>
> To:            <MWEDEL@gslan.offsys.ou.edu>
> Subject:       Re: Velociraptor Footprints
> Date:          Tue, 19 Aug 1997 13:33:33 -0700
> 
> The reason there are no velocraptor footprints is that people are looking
> for footprints that could never have been made.  Dromaeosaurs walked on
all
> three toes like all other theropods- this "raised pinky" foot we've seen
> illustrated since Bakker's drawings for Ostrom is A BIG LIE.  It never
> happened.  That "sickle" claw most likely had a pad on the bottom that
> pushed the claw up a bit (and the animal probably kept its claw sharp
like
> cats do,IF it did anything like that).  The slashing switchblade image is
> nonsense dreamed up to make the animal more special.  Finding
velociraptor
> feet with the toe pulled back in death, is probably a result of the
tendon
> drying out and constricting- much as the way so many dino necks are found
> pulled back over the body.  Of course this  s all speculation and opinion
> on my part but I feel strongly that the whole sickle claw thing is a
> fabrication, monumentally overblown, Greg Paul extending it absurbly to
> archaeopteryx!  So there.
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