Re: Pterosaurs and birds, was Re: birds and pterosaurs

[jrc <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

> I think a paleontologist may not be accustomed to
> think that physical efficency of animal is relative to
> it's ecological niche.

I don't believe I'd agree with that.  Paleofolks tend to have wide-ranging 
lines of thought.
...
> Because soaring bird can lose only few feathers at a
> time. With slow speed of growth, big feather length,
> many feathers - the cycle of replacement becomes long.

By modulating  body weight simultaneously, they might be able to lose more 
feathers than one might at first expect (I don't know the percentages 
measured in the field).  If the aspect ratio is maintained, then changes in 
induced drag will be minimised as well (don't know if that happens in life 
either, but suspect it does, at least to some extent).

JimC