Re: Mysteriasaur & the AMNH displays

["Jarno Peschier" <jpeschie@cs.ruu.nl>]

On 21 Oct 96 at 13:32, Jason Ashley wrote:

> The debate on this list about sauropods being able to rear-up on
> their hind legs seems to have been "answered" by the new display at
> the entrance to the new Hall of Dinosaurs at the AMNH too.  [...]
> there is a tableau made of the two fossil skeletons of apatosaurs, 
> [...], and (what I think is) an allosaur skeleton.  The allosaur is 
> seen to be attacking the juvenile while the adult apatosaur rears
> on its hind legs [...].

I thought this well known (for me only from TV and books :-/) display 
was of two Barosaurus skeletons and one Allosaurus?

[Yes, you're right.  I almost wrote that in too, with another defense
 of AMNH in that they produced the mount knowing full well that it was
 controversial.  In an issue of _Natural History_ with a life
 restoration painting of the rearing Barosaurus on the cover they had
 some discussion of the issues involved in determining whether or not
 such a pose was realistic.  I decided to let this drop because by the
 time I got back from my conference in Rochester Jason had already
 left in a pique.  Chris (thankfully) chose not to broadcast Jason's
 farewell.  I've gotten a few comments lately that this list isn't as
 civil a place as it used to be.  Jason most assuredly wasn't happy
 here.  Perhaps it's time everyone took a deep breath.  Embrace the
 mountain.  Release the tiger.  -- MR (P.S. I don't know what the last
 two sentences are supposed to mean either, but a person who lived
 downstairs from me in Philadelphia found the phrases relaxing.) ]

Jarno Peschier, jpeschie@cs.ruu.nl, 2:2802/247.5@Fido, 162:100/100.2@Agora,
     74:3108/101.5@QuaZie, 27:2331/201.5@SigNet, 606:3130/200.2@F1-net
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