Re: Florida Meetings

[NJPharris@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/22/00 2:19:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
brush@uconn.cted.net writes:

> There are several points to consider. First, this split occurred in the 
> early Jurassic or late Triassic. The identity of the stem group is unclear, 
> as is the nature of the taxonomic distribution. Even if we were to witness 
> the event, it is unlike that the future of any of the taxa could be 
predicted.
>  Our interpretation is from hindsight based only on contemporary biases. 
The 
> ancestor was probably small, bipedal, and without epidermal structures 
other 
> than a variety of scales.

I'm sorry, but are you suggesting that the common ancestor of birds and 
dromaeosaurs *lacked* feathers, even though they are (apparently) found in 
both groups?

Nick P.