RE: Tyrannosaurus Rex: Evolution Of Change.

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

Dan Varner (danvarner@aol.com) wrote"

<4) The upright configuration which results in the tail-dragging posture
was created at the AMNH in order to make the theropods more bird-like,
believe it or not!>

  Not only this, but the choice for this posture, resulting in moving a
portion of the roof to suit, was done because the means to do an original
concept posture was much more difficult if nigh impossible at the time, as
most skeletons were mounted with suspension, rather than floor-based
mounts free of pillar-like supports beneath them. Most modern birds today,
as Osborn no doubt was aware and which Dan alludes to, actually have a
more than horizontal "jogging" posture for the spine. Many galliforms, the
roadrunner, and ratites when running are easy to find examples of this
posture.

  Cheers,

=====
Jaime A. Headden

  Little steps are often the hardest to take.  We are too used to making leaps 
in the face of adversity, that a simple skip is so hard to do.  We should all 
learn to walk soft, walk small, see the world around us rather than zoom by it.

"Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)

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