论鸟类飞行的起源

On the Origin of Birds' Flight

笔者简要介绍了有关鸟类飞行起源的两种假说,即“飞行的树栖起源”假说和“飞行的奔跑起源”假说。并根据近几年中国辽西发现的化石材料,对两种假说的立论依据和机理进行了分析和评述,初步认为两种可能性均存在,但因奔跑而飞行的机制更为普遍合理。“上树”是一种可能的条件,但既非必要条件也非充分条件。

In this paper, two traditional hypotheses for the origin of birds' flight, namely the 'arboreal' hypothesis and the 'cursorial' hypothesis are intruduced. According to the findings of feathered dinosaurs and primitive avialian birds in western Liaoning, it is more likely that the ancestors of birds used a combination of taking off from the ground and taking advantage of accessible heights (such as hills, cliffs, large boulders, or fallen trees). It seems not necessary that the ancestors of birds must climb trees to assist flight.