Re: Sundry responses of Bois

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@friesen.net>]

At 12:48 AM 5/29/00 -0400, KiernanCR@aol.com wrote:

> >>If someone discovered big terrestrial egg layers and mammals (particularly
> placentals) living in harmony--without having to hide, I would run away
> forever. <<
>
> I'm uncertain as to why marsupials make poorer egg-eaters than placentals,

Expecially given the reputation of the living opossum as an 
egg-stealer!  Based on reputation the biggest egg-stealers in the USA are 
opossums and *snakes* - and the latter is probably the worse "threat".

> but . . . what about the phorusrhacids and diatrymatids? They coexisted with
> far larger mammals than those that tyrannosaurs and ceratopsians would have
> had to contend with. And while I'm sure these large birds probably did have
> eggs eaten by mammals (and reptiles, for that matter) - almost all birds do -

Snakes are a big culprit here.  Why not suggest snakes as the cause of 
dinosaur extinction :-)  They were relatively recently evolved at the time?

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