Re: Campbell's even crazier than a MANIAC? (archeopteryx climbing)

[don ohmes <d_ohmes@yahoo.com>]

--- On Sun, 9/28/08, Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au> wrote:

Well, this settles it, it is a global phenomenon. Somewhere in the postgrad 
experience, people are taught to never, ever admit they are WRONG (unless of 
course it is a peer-reviewed setting). I had it thought it might be restricted 
to America.

> > Googling "flying fox, soaring" brings up
> numerous hits.
> 
> Soaring requires an updraft, so it's not really
> 'classic' gliding. Assisted gliding perhaps?

Yeah, sure thing, Dann.

> > It is a safe bet that any flapper vert has the
> physical capacity to glide
> > short distances, even if the behavioral phenotype may
> not demonstrate it.
> 
> It depends on how short a distance you're willing to
> call 'gliding'. I suppose a brick can glide for 
> short distances (close to the top of it's ballistic arc
> that is, where most of it's movement is 
> horizontal).

No, a brick can't glide, although one might make a good paleontologist, or 
troll.

> I still doubt that finches can really glide at all. As
> David Marjanovic pointed out, they tend to fold 
> their wings back and turn themselves into ballistic darts
> between active flaps. I suppose you can 
> get away with that sort of rotund body plan if your mass is
> small enough.

That is entirely behavioral, as I am sure you are aware. 

Don