Re: (Frog hunting) - and a load of XXXX

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

> Couldn't you just sit around and wait for a
> frog in a likely spot?  Why go up a tree?

Higher elevation --> Better vantage point.  Ask any Civil War buff about how 
much more advantageous that can be.  ;-)

> > When speculating about this, what kind of prey would you need to leap 
> on?

Any prey.

> Why not something nearly as large as you are and capable of getting away
> rapidly?

Why not indeed?

> > So, is there anything wrong with the assertion that to argue an animal
> > jumped out of trees, you have to have evidence of a reasonably big > 
> prey animal?
>
> Sounds quite convincing.

Not to me it doesn't.  A lot of modern predators that feed on prey much 
*smaller* than themselves wait quietly in trees until they observe the prey 
of their choice.  Then they make a sudden dash for the prey.  Frilled 
lizards, tarsiers and a vast array of predatory bird species come to mind.  
Not to mention many insects and spiders.

Sure, thylacoleonids may have used ambush predation from above to tackle 
prey larger than themelves (maybe sthenurine kangaroos).  But why 
extrapolate its behavior across the entire animal kingdom?

> BTW, in the northern tip of York Peninsula in Queensland, in dense forest
> were dingos never go, a "large cat" which spends much time in trees and 
> eats
> kangaroos is regularly seen...

I've never heard of any giant macropodivorous felines Up North.

"Regularly seen" - by whom?  I would guess that one's chances of 
encountering these giant tree-haunting cats increase with every pint of 
Cooper's or XXXX.  (Although with Bud Light they're probably safe enough.  
Contrary to last night's episode of _Survivor_, Bud Light is not the fare of 
the typical Aussie stockman.)


Tim



------------------------------------------------------------

Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163

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