Re: smallest ANCIENT non-bird dinosaur - was what I was asking

[Jamie Stearns <stearns5@cox.net>]

I wonder if Aves ought to be defined as Passer>Velociraptor from now on. 
Granted, this could place certain dromaeosaur taxa within _Aves_, but I'd 
say there's somewhat more stability with this definition then arbitrarily 
anchoring the clade on Archaeopteryx, whose position has become somewhat 
problematic as of late.  Velociraptor's derived position within the 
dromaeosaurs would make it a decent external specifier, plus this grouping 
would include things like enantiornitheans and not be restricted to 
crown-group Aves.

And if Archaeopteryx would fall outside Aves, I don't really think that 
would be much of a loss.