jurassic.park-第26章

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yes　to　the　nose。　The　crests　met　in　the　center；　making　a　V　shape　above　the　dinosaur's　head。　The　crests　had　red　and　black　stripes；　reminiscent　of　a　parrot　or　toucan。　The　animal　gave　a　soft　hooting　cry；　like　an　owl。
　　　　〃They're　pretty；〃　Lex　said。
　　　　〃Dilophosaurus；　〃　the　tape　said；　〃is　one　of　the　earliest　carnivorous　dinosaurs。　Scientists　thought　their　jaw　muscles　were　too　weak　to　kill　prey；　and　imagined　they　were　primarily　scavengers。　But　now　we　know　they　are　poisonous。〃
　　　　〃Hey。〃　Tim　grinned。　〃All　right。〃
　　　　Again　the　distinctive　booting　call　of　the　dilophosaur　drifted　across　the　afternoon　air　toward　them。
　　　　Lex　shifted　uneasily　in　her　seat。　〃Are　they　really　poisonous；　Mr。　Regis？〃
　　　　〃Don't　worry　about　it；〃　Ed　Regis　said。
　　　　〃But　are　they？〃
　　　　〃Well；　yes；　Lex。〃
　　　　〃Along　with　such　living　reptiles　as　Gila　monsters　and　rattlesnakes；　Dilophosaurus　secretes　a　hematotoxin　from　glands　in　its　mouth。　Unconsciousness　follows　within　minutes　of　a　bite。　The　dinosaur　will　then　finish　the　victim　off　at　its　leisure…making　Dilophosaurus　a　beautiful　but　deadly　addition　to　the　animals　you　see　here　at　Jurassic　Park。〃
　　　　The　Land　Cruiser　turned　a　corner；　leaving　the　river　behind。　Tim　looked　back；　hoping　for　a　last　glimpse　of　the　dilophosaur。　This　was　amazing！　Poisonous　dinosaurs！　He　wished　he　could　stop　the　car；　but　everything　was　automatic。　He　bet　Dr。　Grant　wanted　to　stop　the　car；　too。
　　　　〃If　you　look　on　the　bluff　to　the　right；　you'll　see　Les　Gigantes；　the　site　of　our　superb　three…star　dining　room。　Chef　Alain　Richard　hails　from　the　world…famous　Le　Beaumanière　in　France。　Make　your　reservations　by　dialing　four　from　your　hotel　rooms。〃
　　　　Tim　looked　up　on　the　bluff；　and　saw　nothing。
　　　　〃Not　for　a　while；　though；〃　Ed　Regis　said。　〃The　restaurant　won't　even　start　construction　until　November。〃
　　　　〃Continuing　on　our　prehistoric　safari；　we　e　next　to　the　herbivores　of　the　ornithischian　group。　If　you　look　to　your　right；　you　can　probably　see　them　now。〃
　　　　Tim　saw　two　animals；　standing　motionless　in　the　shade　of　a　large　tree。　Triceratops：　the　size　and　gray　color　of　an　elephant；　with　the　truculent　stance　of　a　rhino。　The　horns　above　each　eye　curved　five　feet　into　the　air；　looking　almost　like　inverted　elephant　tusks。　A　third；　rhino…like　born　was　located　near　the　nose。　And　they　had　the　beaky　snout　of　a　rhino。
　　　　〃Unlike　other　dinosaurs；〃　the　voice　said；　〃Triceratops　serratus　can't　see　well。　They're　nearsighted；　like　the　rhinos　of　today；　and　they　tend　to　be　surprised　by　moving　objects。　They'd　charge　our　car　if　they　were　close　enough　to　see　it！　But　relax；　folks…we're　safe　enough　here。〃
　　　　〃Triceratops　have　a　fan…shaped　crest　behind　their　heads。　It's　made　of　solid　bone；　and　it's　very　strong。　These　animals　weigh　about　seven　tons　each。　Despite　their　appearance；　they　are　actually　quite　docile。　They　know　their　handlers；　and　they'll　allow　themselves　to　be　petted。　They　particularly　like　to　be　scratched　in　the　hindquarters。〃
　　　　〃Why　don't　they　move？〃　Lex　said。　She　rolled　down　her　window。　〃Hey！　Stupid　dinosaur！　Move！〃
　　　　〃Don't　bother　the　animals；　Lex；〃　Ed　Regis　said。
　　　　〃Why？　It's　stupid。　They　just　sit　there　like　a　picture　in　a　book；〃　Lex　said。
　　　　The　voice　was　saying；　〃…easygoing　monsters　from　a　bygone　world　stand　in　sharp　contrast　to　what　we　will　see　next。　The　most　famous　predator　in　the　history　of　the　world：　the　mighty　tyrant　lizard；　known　as　Tyrannosaurus　rex。〃
　　　　〃Good；　Tyrannosaurus　rex；　〃　Tim　said。
　　　　〃I　hope　he's　better　than　these　bozos；〃　Lex　said；　turning　away　from　the　triceratops。
　　　　The　Land　Cruiser　rumbled　forward。

Big　Rex

〃The　mighty　tyrannosaurs　arose　late　in　dinosaur　history。　Dinosaurs　ruled　the　earth　for　a　hundred　and　twenty　million　years；　but　there　were　tyrannosaurs　for　only　the　last　fifteen　million　years　of　that　period。〃
　　　　The　Land　Cruisers　had　stopped　at　the　rise　of　a　hill。　They　overlooked　a　forested　area　sloping　down　to　the　edge　of　the　lagoon。　The　sun　was　falling　to　the　west；　sinking　into　a　misty　horizon。　The　whole　landscape　of　Jurassic　Park　was　bathed　in　soft　light；　with　lengthening　shadows。　The　surface　of　the　lagoon　rippled　in　pink　crescents。　Farther　south；　they　saw　the　graceful　necks　of　the　camarasaurs；　standing　at　the　water's　edge；　their　bodies　mirrored　in　the　moving　surface。　It　was　quiet；　except　for　the　soft　drone　of　cicadas。　As　they　stared　out　at　that　landscape；　it　was　possible　to　believe　that　they　had　really　been　transported　millions　of　years　back　in　time　to　a　vanished　world。
　　　　〃It　works；　doesn't　it？〃　they　heard　Ed　Regis　say；　over　the　inter。　〃I　like　to　e　here　sometimes；　in　the　evening。　And　just　sit。〃
　　　　Grant　was　unimpressed。　〃Where　is　T…rex？〃
　　　　〃Good　question。　You　often　see　the　little　one　down　in　the　lagoon。　The　lagoon's　stocked；　so　we　have　fish　in　there。　The　little　one　has　learned　to　catch　the　fish。　Interesting　how　he　does　it。　He　doesn't　use　his　hands；　but　he　ducks　his　whole　head　under　the　water。　Like　a　bird。〃
　　　　〃The　little　one？〃
　　　　〃The　little　T…rex。　He's　a　juvenile；　two　years　old；　and　about　a　third　grown　now。　Stands　eight　feet　high；　weighs　a　ton　and　a　half。　The　other　one's　a　full…grown　tyrannosaur。　But　I　don't　see　him　at　the　moment。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　he's　down　hunting　the　camarasaurs；〃　Grant　said。
　　　　Regis　laughed；　his　voice　tinny　over　the　radio。　〃He　would　if　he　could；　believe　me。　Sometimes　he　stands　by　the　lagoon　and　stares　at　those　animals；　and　wiggles　those　little　forearms　of　his　in　frustration。　But　the　T…rex　territory　is　pletely　enclosed　with　trenches　and　fences。　They're　disguised　from　view；　but　believe　me；　he　can't　go　anywhere。〃
　　　　〃Then　where　is　he？〃
　　　　〃Hiding；〃　Regis　said。　〃He's　a　little　shy。〃
　　　　〃Shy？〃　Malcolm　said。　〃Tyrannosaurus　rex　is　shy？〃
　　　　〃Well；　he　conceals　himself　as　a　general　rule。　You　almost　never　see　him　out　in　the　open；　especially　in　daylight。〃
　　　　〃Why　is　that？〃
　　　　〃We　think　it's　because　he　has　sensitive　skin　and　sunburns　easily。〃
　　　　Malcolm　began　to　laugh。
　　　　Grant　sighed。　〃You're　destroying　a　lot　of　illusions。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　think　you'll　be　disappointed；〃　Regis　said。　〃Just　wait。〃
　　　　They　heard　a　soft　bleating　sound。　In　the　center　of　a　field；　a　small　cage　rose　up　into　view；　lifted　on　hydraulics　from　underground。　The　cage　bars　slid　down；　and　the　goat　remained　tethered　in　the　center　of　the　field；　bleating　plaintively。
　　　　〃Any　minute　now；〃　Regis　said　again。　They　stared　out　the　window。

〃Look　at　them；〃　Hammond　said；　watching　the　control　room　monitor。　〃Leaning　out　of　the　windows；　so　eager。　They　can't　wait　to　see　it。　They　have　e　for　the　danger。〃
　　　　〃That's　what　I'm　afraid　of；〃　Muldoon　said。　He　twirled　the　keys　on　his　finger　and　watched　the　Land　Cruisers　tensely。　This　was　the　first　time　that　visitors　had　toured　Jurassic　Park；　and　Muldoon　shared　Arnold's　apprehension。
　　　　Robert　Muldoon　was　a　big　man；　fifty　years　old；　with　a　steel…gray　mustache　and　deep　blue　eyes。　Raised　in　Kenya；　he　had　spent　most　of　his　life　as　a　guide　for　African　big…game　hunters；　as　had　his　father　before　him。　But　since　1980；　he　had　worked　principally　for　conservation　groups　and　zoo　designers　as　a　wildlife　consultant。　He　had　bee　well　known；　an　article　in　the　London　Sunday　Times　had　said；　〃What　Robert　Trent　Jones　is　to　golf　courses；　Robert　Muldoon　is　to　zoos：　a　designer　of　unsurpassed　knowledge　and　skill。〃
　　　　In　1986；　he　had　done　some　work　for　a　San　Francisco　pany　that　was　building　a　private　wildlife　park　on　an　island　in　North　America。　Muldoon　had　laid　out　the　boundaries　for　different　animals；　defining　space　and　habitat　requirements　for　lions；　elephants；　zebras；　and　hippos。　Identifying　which　animals　could　be　kept　together；　and　which　had　to　be　separated。　At　the　time；　it　had　been　a　fairly　routine　job。　He　had　been　more　interested　in　an　Indian　park　called　TigerWorld　in　southern　Kashmir。
　　　　Then；　a　year　ago；　he　was　offered　a　job　as　game　warden　of　Jurassic　Park。　It　coincided　with　a　desire　to　leave　Africa；　the　salary　was　excellent；　Muldoon　had　taken　it　on　for　a　year。　He　was　astonished　to　discover　the　park　was　really　a　collection　of　genetically　engineered　prehistoric　animals。
　　　　It　was　of　course　interesting　work；　but　during　his　years　in　Africa；　Muldoon　had　developed　an　unblinking　view　of　animals…an　unromantic　view…that　frequently　set　him　at　odds　with　the　Jurassic　Park　management　in　California；　particularly　the　little　martinet　standing　beside　him　in　the　control　room。　In　Muldoon's　opinion；　cloning　dinosaurs　in　a　laboratory　was　one　thing。　Maintaining　them　in　the　wild　was　quite　another。
　　　　It　was　Muldoon's　view　that　some　dinosaurs　were　too　dangerous　to　be　kept　in　a　park　setting。　In　part；　the　danger　existed　because　they　still　knew　so　little　about　the　animals。　For　example；　nobody　even　suspected　the　dilophosaurs　were　poisonous　until　they　were　observed　hunting　indigenous　rats　on　the　island…biting　the　rodents　and　then　stepping　back；　to　wait　for　them　to　die。　And　even　then　nobody　suspected　the　dilophosaurs　could　spit　until　one　of　the　handlers　was　almost　blinded　by　spitting　venom。
　　　　After　that；　Hammond　had　agreed　to　study　dilophosaur　venom；　which　was　found　to　contain　seven　different　toxic　enzymes。　It　was　also　discovered　that　the　dilophosaurs　could　spit　a　distance　of　fifty　feet。　Since　this　raised　the　possibility　that　a　guest　in　a　car　might　be　blinded；　management　decided　to　remove　the　poison　sacs。　The　vets　had　tried　twice；　on　two　different　animals；　without　success；　No　one　knew　where　the　poison　was　being　secreted。　And　no　one　would　ever　know　until　an　autopsy　was　performed　on　a　dilophosaur　and　management　would　not　allow　one　to　be　killed。
　　　　Muldoon　worried　even　more　about　the　velociraptors。　They　were　instinctive　hunters；　and　they　never　passed　up　prey；　They　killed　even　when　they　't　weren't　hungry。　They　killed　for　the　pleasure　of　killing。　They　were　swift：　strong　runners　and　astonishing　jumpers。　They　had　lethal　claws　on　all　four　limbs；　one　swipe　of　a　forearm　would　disembowel　a　man；　spilling　his　guts　out。　And　they　had　powerful　tearing　jaws　that　ripped　flesh　instead　of　biting　it。　They　were　far　more　intelligent　than　the　other　dinosaurs；　and　they　seemed　to　be　natural　cage…breakers。
　　　　Every　zoo　expert　knew　that　certain　animals　were　especially　likely　to　get　free　of　their　cages。　Some；　like　monkeys　and　elephants；　could　undo　cage　doors。　Others；　like　wild　pigs；　were　unusually　intelligent　and　could　lift　gate　fasteners　with　their　snouts。　But　who　would　suspect　that　the　giant　armadillo　was　a　notorious　cage…breaker？　Or　the　moose？　Yet　a　moose　was　almost　as　skillful　with　its　snout　as　an　elephant　with　its　trunk。　Moose　were　always　getting　free；　they　had　a　talent　for　it。
　　　　And　so　did　velociraptors。
　　　　Raptors　were　at　least　as　intelligent　as　chimpanzees。　And；　like　chimpanzees；　they　had　agile　hands　that　enabled　them　to　open　doors　and　manipulate　objects。　They　could　escape　with　ease。　And　when；　as　Muldoon　had　feared；　one　of　them　finally　escaped；　it　killed　two　construction　workers　and　maimed　a　third　before　being　recaptured。　After　that　episode；　the　visitor　lodge　had　been　reworked　with　heavy　barred　gates；　a　high　perimeter　fence；　and　tempered…glass　windows。　And　the　raptor　holding　pen　was　rebuilt　with　electronic　sensors　to　warn　of　another　impending　escape。
　　　　Muldoon　wanted　guns　as　well。　And　he　wanted　shoulder…mounted　TOW…missile　launchers。　Hunters　knew　how　difficult　it　was　to　bring　down　a　four…ton　African　elephant…and　som