#dead cones

[coneography]

Cone funeral in progress.

Notice that the cone lying on the ground is completely missing the black hexagonal "base" part that the others like it have... a sure sign that a cone really has died.

[coneography]

Cones are notoriously durable creatures, capable of surviving horrendous injuries without even slowing down, but they do have one notable weakness -- when a cone is fully separated from the "base" portion at the bottom, it dies.

This unfortunate cone, seen toppled among the rocks of the Buena Vista flood wall with its base three-quarters of the way to being completely detached, is likely either dead or dying.

This cone on the other hand is very much alive despite its flattened, dusty, and sun-bleached state. Note that the base is very clearly still attached.

This flattened cone is much more seriously injured than the one above -- notice the hole just above the point where the cone's main body connects to the base. It could survive, but would need to be careful to avoid further injuries to the lower body lest its base detach completely.

And finally... this poor cone is definitely dead. The base has either completely disconnected, or is only still hanging on by a thread. Even immediate medical attention might only manage to prolong its life by a matter of a days at this point.