the.lost.world-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　　　　The　radio　clicked。　〃Dr。　Malcolm？〃　It　was　Arby；　in　the　trailer。
　　　　〃　Yes；　Arby。〃
　　　　〃Who　else　is　here？　On　the　island？〃
　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　　　〃Turn　on　your　monitor。〃
　　　　Thorne　flicked　on　the　dashboard　monitor。　They　saw　a　view　from　one　of　the　security　cameras。　The　view　looked　down　into　the　narrow；　steep　east　valley。　They　saw　the　slope　of　a　hillside；　dark　beneath　the　trees。　A　tree　branch　blocked　much　of　the　frame。　But　the　view　was　still；　silent。　There　was　no　sign　of　activity。
　　　　〃What　did　you　see；　Arby？〃
　　　　〃Just　watch。〃
　　　　Through　the　leaves；　Thorne　saw　a　flash　of　khaki；　then　another。　He　realized　it　was　a　person；　half…walking；　half…sliding；　down　the　steep　jungle　slope　toward　the　floor　below。　Small　pact　frame；　short　dark　hair。
　　　　〃I'll　be　damned；〃　Malcolm　said；　smiling。
　　　　〃You　know　who　that　is？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　of　course。　It's　Sarah。〃

〃Well；　we　better　go　get　her。〃　Thorne　reached　for　the　radio；　pressed　the　button。　〃Richard；〃　he　said。
　　　　There　was　no　answer。
　　　　〃Richard？　Are　you　reading？〃
　　　　There　was　no　answer。
　　　　Malcolm　sighed。　〃Great。　He's　not　answering。　Probably　decided　to　go　for　a　walk。　Pursuing　his　research。。。〃
　　　　〃That's　what　I'm　afraid　of；〃　Thorne　said。　〃Eddie；　unhook　the　motorcycle　and　go　see　what　Levine's　doing　now。　Take　a　Lindstradt　with　you。　We'll　go　pick　up　Sarah。〃

Trail
　　　　
Levine　followed　the　game　trail；　moving　deeper　into　the　darkness　of　the　jungle。　The　parasaurs　were　somewhere　up　ahead；　making　a　lot　of　noise　as　they　crashed　through　the　ferns　and　palms　on　the　jungle　floor。　At　least　now　he　understood　why　they　had　formed　into　a　single　file：　there　was　no　other　practical　way　to　move　through　the　dense　growth　of　the　rain　forest。
　　　　Their　vocalizations　had　never　stopped；　but　Levine　noticed　they　were　taking　on　a　different　character　…　more　high…pitched；　more　excited。　He　hurried　forward；　pushing　past　wet　palm　fronds　taller　than　he　was；　following　the　beaten　trail。　As　he　listened　to　the　cries　of　the　animals　ahead；　he　also　began　to　notice　a　distinctive　odor；　pungent　and　sweet…sour。　He　had　the　feeling　the　odor　was　growing　stronger。
　　　　But　up　ahead；　something　was　happening；　there　was　no　doubt　about　it。　The　parasaur　vocalizations　were　now　clipped；　almost　barking　sounds。　He　sensed　in　them　an　agitated　quality。　But　what　could　agitate　an　animal　twelve　feet　high　and　thirty　feet　long？
　　　　His　curiosity　overwhelmed　him。　Levine　began　to　run　through　the　jungle；　shoving　aside　palms；　leaping　over　fallen　trees。　In　the　foliage　ahead；　he　heard　a　hissing　sound；　a　sort　of　spattering；　and　then　one　of　the　parasaurs　gave　a　long；　low　trumpeting　cry。

Eddie　Carr　drove　the　motorcycle　up　to　the　high　hide；　and　stopped。　Levine　was　gone。　He　looked　at　the　ground　around　the　hide；　and　saw　many　deep　animal　footprints　in　the　ground。　The　prints　were　large；　about　two　feet　in　diameter；　and　they　seemed　to　be　going　off　into　the　jungle　behind　the　hide。
　　　　He　scanned　the　ground；　and　saw　fresh　bootmarks　as　well。　They　had　an　Asolo　tread；　he　recognized　them　as　Levine's。　In　some　places　the　bootmarks　disrupted　the　edge　of　the　animal　footprints；　which　meant　that　they　had　been　made　afterward。　The　bootmarks　also　led　into　the　forest。
　　　　Eddie　Carr　swore。　The　last　thing　he　wanted　to　do　was　to　go　into　that　jungle。　The　very　idea　gave　him　the　creeps。　But　what　choice　was　there？
　　　　He　had　to　get　Levine　back。　That　guy；　he　thought；　was　getting　to　be　a　real　problem。　Eddie　unshouldered　the　rifle；　and　set　it　laterally　across　the　handlebars　of　the　motorcycle。　Then　he　twisted　the　grips；　and　silently；　the　bike　moved　forward；　into　darkness。

Heart　pounding　with　excitement；　Levine　pushed　past　the　last　of　the　big　palms。　He　stopped　abruptly。　Directly　ahead　of　him；　the　tall　of　a　parasaur　swung　back　and　forth　above　his　head。　The　animal's　hindquarters　were　turned　toward　him。　And　a　thick　stream　of　urine　gushed　from　the　poste…rior　pubis；　spattering　on　the　ground　below。　Levine　jumped　back；　avoiding　the　stream。　Beyond　the　nearest　animal；　he　saw　a　clearing　in　the　jungle；　trampled　flat　by　countless　animal　feet。　The　parasaurs　had　located　themselves　at　various　positions　within　this　clearing；　and　they　were　all　urinating　together。
　　　　So　they　were　latrine　animals；　he　thought。　That　was　fascinating；　and　totally　unexpected。
　　　　Many　contemporary　animals；　including　rhinos　and　deer；　preferred　to　relieve　themselves　at　particular　spots。　And　many　times；　the　behavior　of　herds　was　coordinated。　Latrine　behavior　was　generally　considered　to　be　a　method　of　marking　territory。　But　whatever　the　reason；　no　one　had　ever　suspected　that　dinosaurs　acted　in　this　way。
　　　　As　Levine　watched；　the　parasaurs　finished　urinating；　and　each　moved　a　few　feet　to　the　side。　Then　they　defecated；　again　in　unison。　Each　parasaur　produced　a　large　mound　of　straw…colored　spoor。　This　was　acpanied　by　low　trumpeting　from　each　animal　in　the　herd　…　along　with　an　enormous　quantity　of　expelled　flatus；　redolent　of　methane。
　　　　Behind　him；　a　voice　whispered；　〃Very　nice。〃
　　　　He　turned；　and　saw　Eddie　Carr　sitting　on　the　motorcycle。　He　was　waving　his　hand　in　front　of　his　face。　〃Dino　farts；〃　he　said。　〃Better　not　light　a　match　around　here；　you'll　blow　the　place　up。。。。〃
　　　　〃Ssssh；〃　Levine　hissed　angrily；　shaking　his　head。　He　turned　back　to　the　parasaurs。　This　was　no　time　to　be　interrupted　by　a　vulgar　young　fool。　Several　of　the　animals　bent　their　heads　down；　and　began　to　lick　the　puddles　of　urine。　No　doubt　they　wanted　to　recover　lost　nutrients；　he　thought。　Perhaps　salt。　Or　perhaps　hormones。　Or　perhaps　it　was　something　seasonal。　Or　perhaps　…
　　　　Levine　edged　forward。
　　　　They　knew　so　little　about　these　creatures。　They　didn't　even　know　the　most　basic　facts　about　their　lives　…　how　they　ate；　how　they　eliminated；　how　they　slept　and　bred。　A　whole　world　of　intricate；　interlocking　behaviors　had　evolved　in　these　long…vanished　animals。　Understanding　them　now　could　be　the　work　of　a　lifetime　for　dozens　of　scientists。　But　that　would　probably　never　happen。　All　he　could　hope　to　do　was　make　a　few　conjectures；　a　few　simple　deductions　that　skimmed　the　surface　of　the　plexity　of　their　lives。
　　　　The　parasaurs　trumpeted；　and　headed　deeper　into　the　forest。　Levine　moved　forward　to　follow　them。
　　　　〃Dr。　Levine；〃　Eddie　said　quietly。　〃Get　on　the　bike。　Now。〃
　　　　Levine　ignored　him；　but　as　the　big　animals　departed；　he　saw　dozens　of　tiny　green　dinosaurs　leap　chattering　out　into　the　clearing。　He　realized　at　once　what　they　were：　Propsognathus　triassicus。　Small　scavenger；　found　by　Fraas　in　1913；　in　Bavaria。　Levine　stared；　fascinated。　Of　course　he　knew　the　animal　well；　but　only　from　reconstructions；　because　there　were　no　plete　skeletons　of　Propsognathus　anywhere　in　the　world。　Ostrom　had　done　the　most　plete　studies；　but　he　had　to　work　with　a　skeleton　that　was　badly　crushed；　and　fragmentary。　The　tall；　neck；　and　arms　were　all　missing　from　the　animals　Ostrom　described。　Yet　here　the　propsognathids　were；　fully　formed　and　active；　hopping　around　I　Ike　so　many　chickens。　As　he　watched；　the　pys　began　to　eat　the　fresh　dung；　and　drink　what　was　left　of　the　urine。　Levine　frowned。　Was　that　part　of　ordinary　scavenger　behavior？
　　　　Levine　wasn't　sure。。。。
　　　　He　edged　forward；　to　look　at　them　more　closely。
　　　　〃Dr。　Levine！〃　Eddie　whispered。
　　　　It　was　interesting　that　the　pys　only　ate　fresh　dung；　not　the　dried　remnants　that　were　everywhere　in　the　clearing。　Whatever　nutrients　they　were　obtaining　from　the　dung；　it　must　only　be　present　in　fresh　specimens。　That　suggested　a　protein　or　hormone　that　would　degrade　over　time。　Probably　he　should　obtain　a　fresh　sample　for　analysis。　He　reached　into　his　shirt　pocket；　and　withdrew　a　plastic　baggie。　He　moved　among　the　pys；　which　seemed　indifferent　to　his　presence。
　　　　He　crouched　down　by　the　nearest　dung　pile；　and　reached　slowly　forward。
　　　　〃Dr。　Levine！〃
　　　　He　glanced　back；　annoyed；　and　in　that　moment　one　of　the　pys　leapt　forward　and　bit　his　hand。　Another　jumped　onto　his　shoulder　and　bit　his　car。　Levine　yelled；　and　stood　up。　The　pys　hopped　onto　the　ground　and　scampered　away。
　　　　〃Damn　it！〃　he　said。
　　　　Eddie　drove　up　on　the　motorcycle。　〃That's　enough；〃　he　said。　〃Get　on　the　damn　bike。　We're　getting　out　of　here。〃

Nest

The　red　Jeep　Wrangler　came　to　a　stop。　Directly　ahead；　the　game　trail　they　had　been　following　continued　through　the　foliage；　to　a　clearing　beyond。　The　game　trail　was　wide　and　muddy；　trampled　flat　by　large　animals。　They　could　see　large；　deep　footprints　in　the　mud。
　　　　From　the　clearing；　they　heard　a　low　honking　noise；　like　the　sound　of　very　large　geese。　Dodgson　said；　〃Okay。　Give　me　the　box。〃
　　　　King　didn't　answer。
　　　　Baselton　said；　〃What　box？〃
　　　　Without　taking　his　eyes　off　the　clearing；　Dodgson　said；　〃There's　a　black　box　on　the　seat　beside　you；　and　a　battery　pack。　Give　them　to　me。〃
　　　　Baselton　grunted。　〃It's　heavy。〃
　　　　〃That's　because　of　the　cone　magnets。〃　Dodgson　reached　back；　took　the　box；　which　was　made　of　black　anodized　metal。　It　was　the　size　of　a　shoebox；　except　it　ended　in　a　flaring　cone。　Underneath　was　mounted　a　pistol　grip。　Dodgson　clipped　a　battery　pack　to　his　belt；　and　plugged　it　into　the　box。　Then　he　picked　the　box　up　by　the　pistol　grip。　There　was　a　knob　at　the　back；　facing　him；　and　a　graduated　dial。
　　　　Dodgson　said；　〃Batteries　charged？〃
　　　　〃They're　charged；〃　King　said。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Dodgson　said。　〃I'll　go　first；　into　the　nest　area。　I'll　adjust　the　box；　and　get　rid　of　the　animals。　You　two　follow　behind　me；　and　once　the　animals　are　gone；　you　each　take　an　egg　from　the　nest。　Then　you　leave；　and　bring　them　back　to　the　car。　I'll　e　back　last。　Then　we　all　drive　off；　Got　it？〃
　　　　〃Right；〃　Baselton　said。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　King　said。　〃What　kind　of　dinosaurs　are　these？〃
　　　　〃I　have　no　fucking　idea；〃　Dodgson　said；　climbing　out　of　the　car。　〃And　it　doesn't　make　any　difference。　Just　follow　the　procedure。〃　He　closed　the　door　softly。
　　　　The　others　got　out　quietly；　and　they　started　forward；　down　the　wet　trail。　Their　feet　squished　in　the　mud。　The　sound　from　the　clearing　continued。　To　Dodgson；　it　sounded　like　a　lot　of　animals。
　　　　He　pushed　aside　the　last　of　the　ferns　and　saw　them。
　　　　It　was　a　large　nesting　site；　with　perhaps　four　or　five　low　earthen　mounds；　covered　in　grasses。　The　mounds　were　about　seven　feet　wide；　and　three　feet　deep。　There　were　twenty　beige…colored　adults　around　the　mounds…