RE: Evidence For a Feathered Velociraptor...

[Nick Page <nick0page@hotmail.com>]

"...help it maneuver while running..."

Aha!

The little guys might have had feathers to get them out of trouble but the 
big guys might have had feathers to turn and swoop after them.

See thread Origin of Flight.

"One thing that puzzles me though is why these little dinosaurs have 
feathery structures on them (including their forelimbs) when they obviously 
can't begin to fly.

If you observe bird chicks running they stick their forelimbs out and it 
seems to confer a sort of balance advantage as they go round corners and 
jink to change direction.

If you have a large predator after you then a little aerodynamic effect on 
the forelimbs would help you keep out of trouble.

These protowings could also be used for VLOP at insects or even berries or 
fruits that would otherwise be out of reach."


Nick
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070920/ap_on_sc/feathered_raptor&printer=1;_ylt=AiLgJVWQBpWeWrDWTVM9yWpxieAA

_________________________________________________________________
Advertisement: Search for local singles online at Lavalife 
http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Flavalife9%2Eninemsn%2Ecom%2Eau%2Fclickthru%2Fclickthru%2Eact%3Fid%3Dninemsn%26context%3Dan99%26locale%3Den%5FAU%26a%3D30290&_t=764581033&_r=email_taglines_Search&_m=EXT