Comments on: Bactrian Bench http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/ Thoughts and photos from an American living in Spain. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:24:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: erik http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-204 erik Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:39:09 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-204 That's what I thought too, until I read the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd-toed_ungulate" rel="nofollow">Odd-Toed Ungulate wikipedia entry</a>: <blockquote>They are odd-toed ungulates (animals having an odd number of toes on the hooves), are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.</blockquote>Of course, being wikipedia, it <i>could</i> be wrong... That’s what I thought too, until I read the Odd-Toed Ungulate wikipedia entry:

They are odd-toed ungulates (animals having an odd number of toes on the hooves), are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.

Of course, being wikipedia, it could be wrong…

]]> By: Betsy http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-203 Betsy Wed, 29 Nov 2006 15:19:03 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-203 You're assuming that odd and even refer to number of digits whereas I think it has to do with alignment. You’re assuming that odd and even refer to number of digits whereas I think it has to do with alignment.

]]> By: erik http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-202 erik Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:56:54 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-202 I wonder what the advantage of the middle toe is, specifically... (beyond being able to make obscene gestures) It could just be a coincidence that the toe mutation went along with another, more useful change. I wonder what the advantage of the middle toe is, specifically… (beyond being able to make obscene gestures)

It could just be a coincidence that the toe mutation went along with another, more useful change.

]]> By: Betsy http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-201 Betsy Wed, 29 Nov 2006 14:38:00 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2006/11/29/bactrian-bench/#comment-201 It looks pretty low to the ground. Must be for kids. Turns out camels also have "thick leathery pads on knees and chest". That reminds me of the suede elbow patches my dad used to have on his suit coats. He called them monkey bottoms, probably not original but very evocative. Did you read on to where "odd-toed ungulates" were more successful than their even-toed friends? It looks pretty low to the ground. Must be for kids. Turns out camels also have “thick leathery pads on knees and chest”. That reminds me of the suede elbow patches my dad used to have on his suit coats. He called them monkey bottoms, probably not original but very evocative. Did you read on to where “odd-toed ungulates” were more successful than their even-toed friends?

]]>