RE: Dromornithids and size limits.

["Eric Martichuski" <herewiss13@hotmail.com>]

> From: John Bois <jbois@umd5.umd.edu>
>
> In any case, they use this questionable logic to support their claim that
> these birds were outcompeted by large marsupials because, in part, the
> latter species had no such restrictions on their maximum.
>
> What am I missing?

If you're dealing, broadly, with birds vs. mammals, I'd have thought their 
chief liability was a lack of forelimbs.  Even when you've outgrown it's 
usefulness (size-wise), it's pretty hard to _de_-evolve a wing into a useful 
manipulator again.

So, just in general, there's a deficiency in adaptability that might, over 
time, favor species with some anatomical flexibility over those who are 
trying to re-generalize a _very_ specific bauplan.

Eric
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