Re: anatomy question

[Danvarner@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/1/01 7:44:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
dianesmithmt@hotmail.com writes:


<<  Could someone help me with a historical question about Hadrosaur anatomy? 
 I read somewhere that when they prepared the first Hadrosaur for display at 
the Centennial in Philadelphia (1876), they used an iguana skull to complete 
the mount because they believed the Hadrosaur was similar to a reptile, even 
though the Hadrosaur had a pelvic structure similar to a bird.  Is this 
correct or are have I somewhere along the line misinterpreted the historical 
sources?  Thanks for any help you can provide. >>  


       I think essentially you have it right. The Hawkins' Hadrosaurus was 
created in 1868, however. If you can get a copy of Bill Gallagher's_When 
Dinosaurs Roamed New Jersey_, see the old photo on page 33. It shows a cast 
being assembled in Hawkins' New York studio prior to being destroyed by 
Tammany Hall "hooligans". The cast is surrounded by numerous ratite skeletons 
use as reference. This shows that the early workers DID try to pose their 
dinosaurs like birds. Trouble is, non-avian dinosaurs don't work that way. 
The tail presents problems. Not having a skull, Hawkins went by teeth for the 
iguana-like head as he did in his previous Iguanodon models (I'm going by the 
Hadrosaurus exhibit at the New Jersey State Museum here, as shown in the 
picture on page 32 of Bill's book). DV