Re: Egg-eating in mammals

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@friesen.net>]

At 04:15 PM 5/22/00 -0400, John Bois wrote:
> (all?) mammalian egg-eaters are omnivorous.  And yet, except in areas
> where predator-density is relatively low (i.e., tundra, off shore
> islands), most (all?) oviparous species depend on concealment for
> protecting their nest.  This suggests that generalists are a sufficient
> enough threat to keep extant oviparous species from laying in the open.

Yes, but what makes you think dinosaur nests were never concealed?  In 
fact, there are several known dinosaur nests that appear to have been 
buried, for example the ?troodontid nests Horner found, and all known 
sauropod nests, if I remember correctly.  Burial is an excellent method of 
concealment.

In fact the only NON-concealed dino nests I know of are the Maiasaura nests 
and the Oviraptor nests.  And both of these had active maternal 
protection.  In the former case they also had the protection of numbers, 
through close placement of the nests.

--------------
May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com