Re: Velociraptor profiles and a little background

["philidor11" <philidor11@snet.net>]

<You get something like a dipper, sort of; *Archaeopteryx* is IMHO an
example of such an animal. (Difference:  Dippers can already fly.)>

One adjustment:  I think the people who say Archie was capable of powered
flight have a reasonable argument.

My own feeling, for what it's worth:  some active, warm-blooded animals who
were flexible in hunting strategies
developed feather precursors as a mutation and it persisted because it kept
them warm.  All other behaviors were affected by having feathers; they
adapted to feathers and feathers to the adaptations.
Call it feathers came first.
Because of selection, a range of behaviors is being looked at like a single
strategy.
Trees down?  Yes.  (Though, contra Tim, I still think an ambush leap has a
better angle from a large rock than from a tree.)
Ground up?  Yes.
Swimming?  Yes.
Name it?  Yes.