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From: dubois@uwmacc.UUCP (Paul DuBois)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: EnGardaeopteryx  (part 4 of 6)
Message-ID: <760@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 27-Feb-85 14:03:39 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.760
Posted: Wed Feb 27 14:03:39 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Mar-85 03:19:18 EST
References: <732@uwmacc.UUCP> <620@mhuxt.UUCP> <296@petrus.UUCP>
Organization: UW-Madison Primate Center
Lines: 34

> > [Jeff Sonntag]
> >      Just what would you require of an intermediate specie between birds
> > and reptiles, Paul?  You criticized Arch.'s feathers as being almost
> > identicle with modern bird feathers.  You want maybe some sort of useless
> > half-feather?  Why would something like that be selected for?
> > Why would you expect a specie with useless features to survive
> > long enough to leave any kind of fossil record?
 
> [Rich Hammond]
> I do expect there to be intermediate forms.  Arch.'s feathers, being
> almost identical to modern feathers, are at best at the near end of
> the intermediate spectrum.  I expect to find earlier intermediates.
> 
> You seem to be giving up on the whole point of Paul's argument,
> that the fossil record doesn't support intermediates.
> Paul (I suspect) says they aren't there because they never were.

Actually, I didn't say whether I think the fossil record supports
intermediates or not, or whether I think Archaeopteryx is an
intermediate or not.  Given the tenor of a number of the replies I
have received in the past, it does not seem to be widely accepted
even that I think, let alone think one thing or another.

My original article was intended to dispel the erroneous impression
the I felt was given by the article I was replying to, i.e., that
the status of Archaeopteryx is settled and agreed-upon.  It isn't now,
and probably never has been.

-- 
Paul DuBois	{allegra,ihnp4,seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!dubois          |
                                                                  --+--
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but                     |
the honor of kings is to search out a matter"                       |
                        Proverbs 25:2