Re: bauplan convergence

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/8/00 11:48:00 AM EST, twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com writes:

<< It's like that bugbear of an argument that flight in birds 
 probably evolved in an arboreal ancestor because it is "easier" to evolve 
 flight from the trees down than the ground up. >>

Not just "easier." I think the physics of the situation >completely 
precludes< evolution of flight "ground up" in vertebrates. Energy to remain 
aloft without already having well-developed, flightworthy wings is simply not 
there. This falsifies the ground up hypothesis; drives a stake through its 
heart.