Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!frc!jbj
From: jbj@frc.frc.maf.govt.nz (Brian Jones)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Paranormal phenomena and evolution
Message-ID: <854@frc.frc.maf.govt.nz>
Date: 19 Feb 91 19:53:13 GMT
References: <1435@gtx.com> <6735@harrier.ukc.ac.uk> <104@tdatirv.UUCP> <6747@harrier.ukc.ac.uk> <106@tdatirv.UUCP> <545@zds-ux.UUCP> <75075@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Reply-To: jbj@frc.UUCP (Brian Jones)
Organization: Ministry of Ag. and Fish., Fisheries Research, Wellington, NZ.
Lines: 25

In article <75075@bu.edu.bu.edu> colby@bu-bio.UUCP (Chris Colby) writes:

                   [stuff deleted]

>why, if height is a trait, should it be optimized? What mechanism(s)
>would accomplish this optimization? 
>
                   [more stuff deleted]

>Chris Colby
>email: colby@bu-bio.bu.edu

During WWII my father, an engineer, was fighting in Burma with African troops.
He noted that the African hill tribesmen (they all were - not sexist) used to
easily outrun the much taller plains tribesmen in hill country, but on the flat 
lost badly. Something to do with the lower centre of gravity in small people, he
believed.

If his observation is true, and it does make sense, then surely it is an
example of evolutionary pressure? Now that there is no need to run to survive
the advantage of short (or long) legs is removed.

B. Jones
(these views have nothing to do with my employer, unless they are fishy)