From:
Linda Iroff
Date: 2002-03-01 14:49:00 UTC
Subject: re: tails and tales
Excellent post Bob, with great detoils on how ferrets use their tails!
Here's one perplexing issue you didn't cover. Why do ferrets wag their
tails, usually when in confined spaces (such as a tube or tunnel) and about
to pounce?
My own completely unscientific, unsubstantiated and totally goofy theory is
that they are setting up sonic vibrations on the tunnel walls to better
judge the distance to their prey. PLEASE NOTE: this is a "for fun"
explanation only!! But I'd be interested to hear any reasonable hypotheses.
One point about possible lack of technical editing that leads to errors:
unfortunately, copy editors often get to work on text AFTER the technical
editing has been done. They may edit to fit space or just because they
don't like the wording. This can lead to clearly worded accurate material
becoming murky or even wrong. While this generally does not happen in
juried professional journals, it is common in popular press. It's happened
to me.
Linda Iroff
Oberlin OH