Fwd: Two Brains???

[tidwell@ix.netcom.com (Virginia Tidwell)]

 3.2/UCB 5.64/4.03)
          id AA14364; Mon, 13 Mar 1995 19:15:57 -0500
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 19:15:57 -0500



         
Brachiosaurus had two brains: one in hes head to help move the front
legs,and the other in his tail to move his heavy read end.  Is this 
true?
The book is called Dinosaurs.  The text is by Mary Packard.  THe 
pictures
are by Christopher Santoro.  The publisher is Simon and Schuster, Inc., 
NY
The copyright is 1981, and the ISBN # is 0-671-43040-8.  Thank you for
helping me.  If this is true, could you send me information on this?  I 
have to write a report.
Sincerely,
Bobbie Green

---- End Forwarded Message

The two brain idea can be found in many older dinosaur books, although 
it is usually associated with stegosaurs, rather than brachiosaurs.  
When dino skeletons were first being mounted it was noticed that some 
had what seemed to be unusually large spinal cord openings in the sacral 
vertebra (over the hips). This was interpreted to mean that there was a 
large nerve center located here.  As most dino braincases are considered 
quite small by mammalian standards, the idea developed that these huge 
animals would need a second "brain" to control the bulky rear portion.  
This enlarged neural area has been recognised as a large nerve junction 
similar to those found in human shoulder and hip areas.  Dinosaurs had 
to get along with one brain, just like the rest of us. Someday the 
outdated dino books will all be replaced with more current sources of 
information,I hope.
                     Hope this helped answer some questions.
                                   Virginia Tidwell