Re: Gastroliths

["Ralph W. Miller III" <gbabcock@best.com>]

"Ralph W. Miller III" wrote:

> Gillette believes that _Seismosaurus_ had
> "gizzard" stones both in its crop and in its gizzard, the crop being the site
> for fermentation, the gizzard being the place where acids further break down
> the food.  Gillette points out that the extant folivorous Hoatzin bird is
> unique in that it uses grit in both the crop and the gizzard.  Given that at
> the time of the book's writing only 240 gastroliths had been found for this
> immense animal, Gillette did not feel that the gastroliths -- amounting to
> only a ten quart volume of rocks in all -- would be capable of effectively
> grinding large amounts of food.

Clarification:  the "immense animal" I mention is, of course, _Seismosaurus_, 
not
the hoatzin, even if it would be funnier the other way around!     %^)


--
Ralph W. Miller III  <gbabcock@best.com>