Re: New dromeosaur theory

[srladd.dino@juno.com (Scott Robert Ladd)]

Randy King <randyk@ims.com> writes:

SRL>Large raptors will also take bites out of cattle, I'm told.

RK>Never heard that before.  Do you know how prominent it is?

Dunno. I've talked to lots of ranchers, and have "heard" that raptors
will feed on live cattle just as they do on sheep. I've seen it happen
with sheep, but I have yet to see a bird of prey snacking on a cow.

>That was meant as an April Fools joke.  Unfortunately, it didn't come
>out until the second.  :(

April Fool's joke or not, the idea makes some sense. The acrobatics
required to slash and kill are much more difficult than those required to
pounce and grab. Those big dromaeosaur arms would be great for slashing
open an animal from a perch on it's back, while the sickle claws grip the
flanks. That seems a much more deadly tactic than the slashing tactic.

<Scott Robert Ladd>
send personal e-mail to: srladd@frontier.net
http://www.frontier.net/~srladd

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