Memories and Lessons

The last two nights television has reminded me of my travels and taught me something about my encounters. Last night "Inside Nature's Giants" dissected the rare Cassowary of Northern Australia, a bird I had the good fortune to see in the feather. We were given some hazy notion at the time that the Cassowary was some sort of throw back to the dinosaur, but last night they went through the similarities and the reasons for those likenesses in detail. It really is a fascinating bird. Then tonight a quick browse through the channels brought me face to face with a Chinese Bamboo Rat. I ate one of those while in Yangshuo, but had always thought it was just a rat caught in the bamboo fields (and probably the one I had was!). But according to this programme, the Bamboo Rat is a distinct species looking a lot plumper than your standard rodent. Eating one did not give me this impression (too many bones).