On Wed, 29 Dec 1999, Ray Audette wrote:

> Common mutations found among
> stressed populations would include gracile forms and neotinized forms of
> Pleistocene megafauna.  Some of these are todays domestic animals.

I am curious about this apparently non-darwinian idea.  What is
the relationship between "stress" and these "common mutations"?
Has anyone identified such a mutation?  Is it your idea that the
"stress" (unspecified) causes the mutation?

Note that the recent research with foxes, which we discussed last
year, showed that domesticated foxes could be bred in a
relatively short time *with no stresses whatsoever*, just careful
selection.

Todd Moody
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