The lonely bird: claims of the earliest avian fossil launch a paleontologic flap - Cover Story

Science News, August 17, 1991 by Richard Monastersky

Chatterjee shares the opinion, although he says the known fossils cannot yet settle the debate.

Of course, before scientists interpret the importance of Protoavis, they must resolve the central question: Was it a bird or even a close relative of birds?

If it came down to a ballot, the votes would probably say nay. Many authorities in the field think it will be extremely difficult for Chatterjee to convince people unless he finds better specimens to back up his claim.

"I'm very skeptical and unimpressed," says Peter Houde, an evolutionary biologist who focuses on birds at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.

North Carolina's Feduccia voices even stronger doubt: "You really need to have some critical evidence, and what Chatterjee has is a bunch of tea leaves in the bottom of a dark cup. It's just like reading tea leaves."