Re: "Cope's Rule" Put to the Test

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-01-27 12:28:12 EST, martz@holly.ColoState.EDU (Jeffrey
Martz) writes:

<< As I understand it, "Cope's Law" is an observation, not an
 explanation for the observation.  In other words "Cope's Law" says
 "tetrapods tend to get larger with time more often then they tend to get 
 smaller", and the above statements provide an explantion of how Cope's Law
 might work.        >>

Nice way of putting it. Something like the "principle" of parsimony when used
by cladists. I'll have more to say on this subject after I digest the latest
paper (just in from Australia and the Gondwana Symposium) on _Mononykus_ and
why some people still insist on classifying it as a bird.

Actually, in the short run at least, the >primary< size-trend in evolution is
to remain the >same size<.