Re: Wading _Caudipteryx_?

[RaptorRKC@aol.com]

> If only there were some other group of long-legged waders to compare
>  _Caudipteryx_ to...

The avian waders cannot serve as a completely accurate model, since they have
only a parson's-nose of a tail while Caudipteryx still has a developed one.
Isn't this why birds have such a short femur, to shift the center of gravity
to compensate for their lack of tail?  Considering Caudipteryx's long
(compared to a modern bird) tail, what sort of leg proportions might be
expected for a tail-bearing wader?

Rachel Clark