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Well I found some new articles at the Library today. Erickson, G. M., and Tumanova T. A., 2000. Growth curve of
Psittacosaurus mongoliensis Osborn (Ceratopsia: Psittacosauridae) inferred from
long bone histology. Zool. J. Linn. Soc., v. 130: 551-566. Basically after doing histological studies they’ve found that
Psittacosaurus grew at a faster rate then other dinosaurs. 4 times faster than
extant reptiles, 25% faster than marsupials and 3-20 times slower than typical
eutherians and avian taxa. While I was at the library today I found some interesting articles in
the current issue area. Palaeogeography, climatology, and ecology had a
symposium volume about Fire and the Palaeoenvironment (kind of ironic
considering whats going on in San Diego right now). The articles range from
modern times to the Silurian. I know Ken Carpenter did an article on wild fires
in the late Cretaceous (or at least I think he did). Once when I was
prospecting with Darren Tanke in Dinosaur Provincal Park we found a row of
beaded amber and small pieces of charcoal from the Dinosaur Park Formation. It’s
an interesting topic. Then there is N. R. Geist, 2000. Nasal Respiratory Turbinate Function in
Birds. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, v. 73, n. 5: 581-589. Nothing
really on fossil animals but has great potential in the debate on fossil animal
physiology (I think). I wouldn’t have even looked at the journal but it kind of
called to me to look at it as I walked by (wouldn’t have happened if I just
went to the internet). Another symposium volume is about southern Mexico geology. I’m working
on some Baja dinosaurs and plate tectonics and this may help me in this. I need
to contact some of the authors to see if their work will help mine. Wouldn’t have
happened if I just went to the internet. While I walked the stacks I found an article on the different genera of
living Nautilus. I noticed an illustration of a paper nautilus on the back of
the issue and I know a friend of mine would like it. Wouldn’t have happened if
I just went to the internet. I’m not saying DON’T use the internet, just you also need to go to the
library and go through the stacks because you never know what you’ll find that
will help in your research or articles that you’ll just find interesting. Tracy |