RE: Life of Birds (vertical running)

["Steve Brusatte" <dinoland@lycos.com>]

On Wed, 10 Oct 2001 12:44:55  
 Tim Williams wrote:
>Even better: these two scenarios are not mutually exclusive.  The small 
>maniraptoran uses the enlarged pedal claw and stiffened tail to help ascend 
>trees.  Once up there, it keeps an eye out for ground-dwelling prey.  When 
>prey is sighted below, the little predator jumps onto (or close to) the 
>prey, using its feathered forelimbs and tail to help negotiate the brief 
>descent.  The sickle-claw can then be put to deadly use.
>
>Continue this for long enough, and you reach the _Archaeopteryx_-_Rahonavis_ 
>stage of bird evolution.

Goodness, I wish that I was able to attend this talk.  Instead of listening to 
what may very well turn out to be a "revolutionary" idea I was on my hands and 
knees in a Silurian-age quarry, in the rain, identifying bryozoans and 
articulate brachiopods.  There's nothing wrong with that, but I feel that I 
missed something very important.  I'm glad we're discussing this onlist, as 
this study shows something that will have major ramifications on my future 
paleo studies.  I can't wait for this paper...

Steve

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