Re: "New" bird-dinosaur study

["Les Eastman" <les_eastman@ns1.netfox.net>]

> The BBC is reporting a new bird-dinosaur study that reports
> developmental evidence suggesting that the birds decended from
> dinosaurs hypothesis is incorrect.  The researchers (N. Carolina, I
> believe) studied the development of the "hand" in "birds" and
> "dinosaurs" (no species given in the report).  The results indicate
> that fingers 2,3 & 4 comprise the bird "hand" (loss of 1 and 5)
> whereas fingers 1, 2 & 3 comprise the "theropod" hand (loss of 4 &
> 5). Again, no species were given.

The UNC student newspaper carried a short article about this report. 
You can read it at
http://www.unc.edu/dth/archives/1997/10/102397/fnt.html

The study involved microscopic examination of  limb development in
ostriches, chickens, cormorants, alligators and turtles. 

Les Eastman
les_eastman@netfox.net
Havre de Grace, MD