Billytea, who should really just cut out the middleman and start posting here directly:
Echidnas aren't so much for the lekking. They prefer the ho train. Wait. Sorry, let's do this properly: THE HO-O-O-O TRA-A-AIN! (This is actually quite fantastic.) Come mating season, eligible females suddenly find themselves being closely followed by up to eight randy males. They then trail her for up to four weeks, presumably using subtle signals to indicate their relative mate-worthiness ("Do I make you horny, Baby?"), until the female is ready. She then lies flat on the ground and grabs a tree with her front claws ("Brace yerself, Ethel!"). At this point (I love this) the guys start circling the female (and tree), occasionally giving her a prod with their snouts - the reason why assurances of continued interest might be necessary will become apparent - and start digging a trench around her (and her tree).
Once the trench is of a suitable depth, it suddenly dawns on the males that There Can Be Only One. (Not sure why they have to reach this point; maybe digging helps them think. Or count. "Lessee, there's one of her, and... three... four...") Since they've already constructed their Pit of Doom, it's only natural that they then commence a wrestling match. (I like to think they give themselves stage names, like the Prickles of Power and Trench Lord.) One by one, male echidnas get pushed out of the trench; the last one below ground level is the lucky suitor, and clambers out to claim his prize (assuming the female hasn't got bored or wandered off, and the tree's still standing).
And human parents think they have problems explaining sex to their kids.
JessPMoon in Natter:
On a new European impotence med...
Levitra! sounds to me like what JK Rowling would call the anti-impotence spell if HP were being written for a different age group.
ita: Okay, but Detroit really does have the largest island urban park in the county.
Aimée: Belle Isle - come for the supposed beauty, stay for the crack.
Nutty: In news unrelated to embarrassing crotches
this resulted in coke on my monitor, for real!
I know it's tacky to COMM yourself, but I'm only using my bit to get to the payoff:
In Natter.
me:
Why is it always the ugly guys who want to be naked? In general, that is.
Billytea:
My theory is that they all want to be naked, but the good-looking ones already get ample opportunity.
billytea:
Tinfoil, Tinfoil, give me your answer do
I'm half crazy, that's half as far as you
Our wedding'll be on the busses
But I think the biggest plus is
I'm willing to bet
That better yet
We'll be living on them too
Aimée:
Freak-Ass, Freak-Ass, Here is my answer true.
You're half crazy. Better am I, than you.
There won't be a transit wedding
Cuz if you think that I'll be letting
You touch my hand
then your true land
is Arkham Asylum. FREAK!!!!