Re: Smithsonian Diplodocus

[Danvarner@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/10/01 6:07:13 AM Pacific Standard Time, mike@tecc.co.uk 
writes:

<< The thing that
 really surprised me about the mount was the way the spinal column
 seems discontinuous above the hips: that is, there's a nice gentle
 curve from the shoulders to the hips, then the spine seems to
 completely change direction, re-aiming itself upwards by ten or
 fifteen degrees as it goes into the tail.  There's a photo at
 http://www.nmnh.si.edu/paleo/dino/diplod2.htm
 that illustrates what I mean rather nicely. >>
   If you can get a hold of the February 1942 issue of National Geographic 
Magazine, go to page 169. There is a beautiful photo of a Diplodocus mount 
being assembled at the Denver Natural History Museum in Chas.R.Knight's 
article, "Parade of Life Through the Ages", that clearly shows this 
phenomenon. The caption states that several sets of firmly locked vertebrate 
had been excavated in this posture. Most probably from Dinosaur National 
Monument, where the Smithsonian specimen came from, I believe. They still 
managed to drag the tail, though. I vividly remember how hard it was to get 
that out of my head after all those years. A drawing of a pair of Diplodocus 
by Doug Henderson finally convinced me about the airborne whiplash. DV.