Re: T. rex

["KEVIN HEDGPETH" <brontotherium@hotmail.com>]

I agree with your comments, but I wonder why it is that bipedalism in 
large "predatory" animals/birds suggests to some people inherent 
clumsiness?  Survival depends on a species evolving (or being naturally 
selected) in such a manner that it is capable of effectively functioning 
in its environment, thus avoiding "bad design".

Predator and/or scavenger, I can't see T. rex stumbling about the 
Cretaceous with two left feet.

--Kevin Hedgpeth



>Brian, et al:
>
>    Jack DOES believe that _T. rex_ was primarily a scavenger, as he 
seemed
>to indicate to Tom Holtz after Tom's DinoFest talk about how well _T. 
rex_
>works as a predator.  He liked the talk, but still thought that Tom was
>wrong and he (Jack) was right.  I suppose the idea of a 6 ton, wobbly
>balanced, 2-legged EFFECTIVE killing machine is too much for Jack.
>[However, some smaller creatures, who are even MORE unbalanced 
physically -
>have managed to become one the most effective killing machines of all 
(I'm
>talking about people - even when unarmed, we can be very good at 
killing).]


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