Date: Mon, 01 Jun 1998 15:52:00 -0400 From: Paul Kemner Subject: {SKAD} Parts is parts... or is they? Well- here's an adult topic (probably should go to the SKFF list, too). Did you ever notice that it's sometimes difficult to tell the sex of cats- both Felis and Panthera genus? The male lion is about the only one, and that's because of his mane. Can't look at a leopard or tiger and say "Hey- that's a male!" with any degree of accuracy. You can generally tell that with dogs, or horses, or many other animals. In fact, it's surprisingly common for people to adopt a cat, name him "Tom" or "Walter", and later be surprised when "Tom" gives birth to a litter of kittens! Well, there's an evolutionary reason- With the type of pre-mating fighting ritual that cats do, there is no evolutionary advantage to having a big "male generative member". If you're in a catfight and you get it bitten off, you instantly become an evolutionary dead end . So- sorry guys and gals- if Kats follow the same pattern with similar genetic heritage as felines on earth, it may have some implications! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is sponsored by PEAK,Inc. ISP and Education Center Public Electronic Access to Knowledge,Inc http://www.peak.org 850 SW 15th Street Corvallis Oregon 97333 (541) 754-7325