RE: bipedal lunges

["John Clavin (Digital)" <v-jclav@microsoft.com>]

Most creatures are vulnerable to attack from behind - nothing unusual
there.
What if the triceratops used an aggressive defense - i.e. once it
figures out there's a threat, it takes action rather than try to ignore
it and rely on a passive defense. 

> ----------
> From:         augwhite@neosoft.com[SMTP:augwhite@neosoft.com]
> Reply To:     augwhite@neosoft.com
> Sent:         Tuesday, October 07, 1997 1:59 PM
> To:   dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject:      RE: bipedal lunges
> 
> After mulling over the comments of John Calvin and Bill, I concede.
> What
> I'm struggling with is the physical and tactical difficulty of a
> "charge" by
> a ceratopsian combined with the highly variable geometry of the
> offensive
> armament.  For actual defense against predators, how do we get the
> horns, or
> even the beak, into play while still -- literally -- allowing the
> ceratopsian to cover his ass?  That's a big, vulnerable target, no
> matter
> how well-protected the head.  Either the backside is never exposed
> (e.g. by
> stolid group defense) or there's some way for the beast to turn
> rapidly.  I
> was trying to come up with a behavior which would allow some of both.
> What
> are the other alternatives?
> 
>   --Toby White
>