Re: MR's comment on dino vision

[Lawrence Dunn <dunn1@mail.idt.net>]

Joyce E. Green wrote:
>
> <Snip>
> >
> > [ dinosaurs probably had better color vision
> >   than most mammals and may have been sensitive to optical polarization
> >   as well.  The latter would be particularly helpful in allowing an
> >   animal to see under the surface of the water because the polarization
> >   of reflected light would be different from the polarization of light
> >   transmitted from under the water's surface.  -- MR ]
>
> How can we know *anything* about dinosaurs' color vision &/or
> sensitivity to optical polarization?
>  ...Joyce
>
> [Mickey will be away for the next week and will not see this until he gets
> back - Chris]

I'm not speaking for Mickey, or even as a paleontologist, but rather as
an interested amatuer when I say that I assume MR referred to the current
theory that birds descended from Dinosaurs (some prefer "birds are
dinosaurs").  Birds see in color.

Larry