Hi, > The only things I can think of that are a reasonable possibility are > European Roller and Green Woodpecker, with the Roller winning for colour > and the Woodpecker winning for form. More likely is a pair of escapees > of some exotica. Maybe Moulin Rouge birds. They have multicoloured > plumage. On the subject of what obscure animals people use as pets, did > you know that the "Amazon" section of the London Aquarium is populated > almost entirely by "cast-offs" from peoples' aquaria? That is, the fish > grew too large to remain in them. Many of the fish are only able to > reach their full size in something like the space given in the L A and > they are upwards of six feet......
>> The most surprising exotic creature I've seen in the UK was a wild >> penguin. Last year on Chesil Beach in Dorset I saw a bird swimming >> very quickly through the waves, chasing a fish. From my vast experience >> of penguins in S. Africa I identified it immediately. I was rather taken >> aback to see one so far north, so when I got home I went through my Observer >> Book of Birds (or whatever), and learned that it was in fact a guillemot, >> which is not at all exotic (although I've never seen one in London, >> whereas I have seen penguins). Still, those things are pretty good examples >> of convergent evolution. > Like modern cars, which Cath is certain are all modelled on Kryten's > head 8-) Recommend the glassbottom boat trip along the Fleet next time > you are there. The guide is a proper marine biologist. Not recommended > after gale force winds, though. Makes it too muddy. 8-( > mike -- Cheers, Bob
