Re: something interesting I didn't know

["Christopher Straughn" <chrisas@elnet.com>]

>       Here's another interesting cassowary fact. It was thought
> for a long time that the bony crest on their heads acted like a
> crash helmet for running through dense vegetation, but apparently
> the crest is quite fragile and often breaks (only to regrow).
> Therefore display may be its primary function. Could the cassowary
> provide a modern analogue for the crested oviraptors?

If Oviraptor crests were susceptible to breaking off (and then 
growing back) as in cassowarys, would that explain the great variety 
seen in Oviraptor skulls?  It seems likely that if the crest is 
broken, it won't grow back in the right shape.  Of course, it _is_ 
bone, so I don't know if it's possible for it to regrow.  Any ideas?
Chris Straughn

Visit my homepage at
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Parthenon/1868

Bovoj estas viaj amikoj.