RE: Compsognathus

[Steve White <steve_d_white@hotmail.com>]

Hi there,

I've been reading the feathers debate on DML with interest. I've have also 
recently been reading a book about the survivors of the USS Indianapolis 
(there is a point, believe me). One thing was mentioned that I thought might 
have some bearing on this and that is the caustic nature of salt water. 
Apparently, many survivors came out of the water with all their body hair 
dissolved away after four days in the ocean. As I recall the Solenhofen 
lagoons were very saline and if Compsognathus feathers were fine, perhaps 
they had simply dissolved away prior to preservation. The larger feathers of 
Archaeopteryx may have taken longer to break down. The Chinese feathered 
dinosaurs were from freshwater environments, after all.

Steve

Steve White

Tel: +44 (0) 207 564 5033
http://www.gn.apc.org/thunderlizard/index.html

3 Tiffany Court
67 Oakhurst Grove
East Dulwich
London
SE22 9AG
UK

_________________________________________________________________
Want to block unwanted pop-ups? Download the free MSN Toolbar now!  
http://toolbar.msn.co.uk/