Re: Nyctosaurus Images

[Mike Taylor <mike@indexdata.com>]

> Date: Thu, 15 May 2003 09:36:12 EDT
> From: Danvarner@aol.com
> 
> Chris Bennett has posted images of Nyctosaurus in all its strange
> glory. One of the weirdest things I've ever seen. Looks like it
> could have pulled in AM radio stations from Hong Kong! DV
>       http://www.bridgeport.edu/~cbennett/Crested_Nyctosaurs.html

Wow.  This has got to be a belated April Fool.  Hasn't it?

How on earth could something so clumsy have flown?  I can't think of
anything convincingly analogous to that crest in extant animals: the
best I can do is birds of paradise (but it's easier to imagine soft,
trailing feathers not interfering with flight mechanics than a stiff,
bony crest) and birds like hornbills and toucans with outsized beaks.
But don't those have some functional (i.e. not just sexual display)
purpose?

 _/|_    _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor  <mike@indexdata.com>  http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "Fat Charlie the Archangel sloped into the room" -- Paul
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