Re: Chapter of the Week: The Hobbit Ch. 14: Fire and Water

"Elwë Singollo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> (snip)
> [more snipping]

>I take the opportunity to ask a question : It is said that if Smaug
were to
> touch the water, a cloud of steam would rise. ... They are literally "on >fire". I 
> would rather imagine dragons to be animals, either with warm or cold >blood...which 
> means they could go into water without making the water boil. >What is your point of 
> view on this subject?

[snip]

Just as my opinion (I don't have book quotes to back me on this)I
guess that while the dragon's body won't be hot most of the time, when
he *does* breathe flames he becomes very hyperthermic shortly before
he spouts the flames. Maybe dragons have to build up a lot of internal
heat before they can breathe fire. If they are in too cool an
environment, they can't do that?

There was a very interesting thread on this very NG once upon a time
where folks conjectured on what "scientific" principles might be
behind the functioning of dragons. I don't have an url (or even a
vague date of the thread)- sorry- it might be worthwhile to Google for
it, though.