jurassic.park-第79节

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！


f　males；　and　eventually　they　successfully　mated　with　females。
　　　　〃You're　kidding；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃And　what　makes　it　happen？〃
　　　　〃Apparently　the　change　is　stimulated　by　an　environment　in　which　all　the　animals　are　of　the　same　sex。　In　that　situation；　some　of　the　amphibians　will　spontaneously　begin　to　change　sex　from　female　to　male。〃
　　　　〃And　you　think　that's　what　happened　to　the　dinosaurs？〃
　　　　〃Until　we　have　a　better　explanation；　yes；〃　Grant　said。　〃I　think　that's　what　happened。　Now；　shall　we　find　this　nest？〃

They　piled　into　the　Jeep；　and　Lex　lifted　the　raptor　from　the　cage。　The　animal　seemed　quite　calm；　almost　tame　in　her　bands。　She　gave　it　a　final　pat　on　the　head；　and　released　it。
　　　　The　animal　wouldn't　leave。
　　　　〃Go　on；　shoo！〃　Lex　said。　〃Go　home！〃
　　　　The　raptor　turned；　and　ran　off　into　the　foliage。

Grant　held　the　receiver　and　wore　the　headphones。　Muldoon　drove。　The　car　bounced　along　the　main　road；　going　south。　Gennaro　turned　to　Grant　and　said；　〃What　is　it　like；　this　nest？〃
　　　　〃Nobody　knows；〃　Grant　said。
　　　　〃But　I　thought　you'd　dug　them　up。〃
　　　　〃I've　dug　up　fossil　dinosaur　nests；〃　Grant　said。　〃But　all　fossils　are　distorted　by　the　weight　of　millennia。　We've　made　some　hypotheses；　some　suppositions；　but　nobody　really　knows　what　the　nests　were　like。〃
　　　　Grant　listened　to　the　beeps；　and　signaled　Muldoon　to　head　farther　west。　It　looked　more　and　more　as　if　Ellie　had　been　correct：　the　nest　was　in　the　southern　volcanic　fields。
　　　　Grant　shook　his　head。　〃Not　much　about　nesting　behavior　is　clear；〃　he　said。　He　found　himself　explaining　about　the　modern　reptiles；　like　crocodiles　and　alligators。　Even　their　nesting　behavior　wasn't　well　understood。　Actually；　the　American　alligator　was　better　studied　than　most；　and　in　the　case　of　alligators；　only　the　female　guarded　the　nest；　and　only　until　the　time　of　birth。　The　male　alligator　had　spent　days　in　early　spring　lying　beside　the　female　in　a　mating　pair；　blowing　bubbles　on　her　checks　and　providing　her　with　other　signs　of　masculine　attention　designed　to　bring　her　to　receptivity；　causing　her　finally　to　lift　her　tail　and　allow　him；　as　he　lay　beside　her；　to　insert　his　penis。　By　the　time　the　female　built　her　nest；　two　months　later；　the　male　was　long　gone。　And　although　the　female　guarded　her　cone…shaped；　three…foot…high　mud　nest　ferociously；　her　attention　seemed　to　wane　with　time；　and　she　generally　abandoned　her　eggs　by　the　time　the　hatchlings　began　to　squeak　and　emerge　from　their　shells。　Thus；　in　the　wild；　a　baby　alligator　began　its　life　entirely　on　its　own；　and　for　that　reason　its　belly　was　stuffed　with　egg　yolk　for　nourishment　in　its　early　days。
　　　　〃So　the　adult　alligators　don't　protect　the　young？〃
　　　　〃Not　as　we　imagine　it；〃　Grant　said。　〃The　biological　parents　both　abandon　the　offspring。　But　there　is　a　kind　of　group　protection。　Young　alligators　have　a　very　distinctive　distress　cry；　and　it　brings　any　adult　who　hears　it…parent　or　not…to　their　assistance　with　a　full…fledged；　violent　attack。　Not　a　threat　display。　A　full…on　attack。〃
　　　　〃Oh。〃　Gennaro　fell　silent。
　　　　〃But　that's　in　all　respects　a　distinctly　reptile　pattern；〃　Grant　continued。　〃For　example；　the　alligator's　biggest　problem　is　to　keep　the　eggs　cool。　The　nests　are　always　located　in　the　shade。　A　temperature　of　ninety…eigbt　point　six　degrees　will　kill　an　alligator　egg；　so　the　mother　mostly　guards　her　eggs　to　keep　them　cool。〃
　　　　〃And　dinos　aren't　reptiles；〃　Muldoon　said　laconically。
　　　　〃Exactly。　The　dinosaur　nesting　pattern　could　be　much　more　closely　related　to　that　of　any　of　a　variety　of　birds…〃
　　　　〃So　you　actually　mean　you　don't　know；〃　Gennaro　said；　getting　annoyed。　〃You　don't　know　what　the　nest　is　like？〃
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃I　don't。〃
　　　　〃Well；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃So　much　for　the　damn　experts。〃
　　　　Grant　ignored　him。　Already　he　could　smell　the　sulfur。　And　up　ahead　he　saw　the　rising　steam　of　the　volcanic　fields。

The　ground　was　hot；　Gennaro　thought；　as　he　walked　forward。　It　was　actually　hot。　And　here　and　there　mud　bubbled　and　spat　up　from　the　ground。　And　the　reeking；　sulfurous　steam　hissed　in　great　shoulder…high　plumes。　He　felt　as　if　he　were　walking　through　hell。
　　　　He　looked　at　Grant；　walking　along　with　the　headset　on；　listening　to　the　beeps。　Grant　in　his　cowboy　boots　and　his　jeans　and　his　Hawaiian　shirt；　apparently　very　cool。　Gennaro　didn't　feel　cool。　He　was　frightened　to　be　in　this　stinking；　hellish　place；　with　the　velociraptors　somewhere　around。　He　didn't　understand　how　Grant　could　be　so　calm　about　it。
　　　　Or　the　woman。　Sattler。　She　was　walking　along；　too；　just　looking　calmly　around。
　　　　〃Doesn't　this　bother　you？〃　Gennaro　said。　〃I　mean；　worry　you？〃
　　　　〃We've　got　to　do　it；〃　Grant　said。　He　didn't　say　anything　else。
　　　　They　all　walked　forward；　among　the　bubbling　steam　vents。　Gennaro　fingered　the　gas　grenades　that　he　had　clipped　to　his　belt。　He　turned　to　Ellie。　〃Why　isn't　he　worried　about　it？〃
　　　　〃Maybe　he　is；〃　she　said。　〃But　he's　also　thought　about　this　for　his　whole　life。〃
　　　　Gennaro　nodded；　and　wondered　what　that　would　be　like。　Whether　there　was　anything　he　had　waited　his　whole　life　for。　He　decided　there　wasn't　anything。

Grant　squinted　in　the　sunlight。　Ahead；　through　veils　of　steam；　an　animal　crouched；　looking　at　them。　Then　it　scampered　away。
　　　　〃Was　that　the　raptor？〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　〃I　think　so。　Or　another　one。　juvenile；　anyway。〃
　　　　She　said；　〃Leading　us　on？〃　　　　
　　　　〃Maybe。〃　Ellie　had　told　him　how　the　raptors　had　played　at　the　fence　to　keep　her　attention　while　another　climbed　onto　the　roof。　If　true；　such　behavior　implied　a　mental　capacity　that　was　beyond　nearly　all　forms　of　life　on　earth。　Classically；　the　ability　to　invent　and　execute　plans　was　believed　to　be　limited　to　only　three　species：　chimpanzees；　gorillas；　and　human　beings。　Now　there　was　the　possibility　that　a　dinosaur　might　be　able　to　do　such　a　thing；　too。
　　　　The　raptor　appeared　again；　darting　into　the　light；　then　jumping　away　with　a　squeak。　It　really　did　seem　to　be　leading　them　on。
　　　　Gennaro　frowned。　〃How　smart　are　they？〃　he　said。
　　　　〃If　you　think　of　them　as　birds；〃　Grant　said；　〃then　you　have　to　wonder。　Some　new　studies　show　the　gray　parrot　has　as　much　symbolic　intelligence　as　a　chimpanzee。　And　chimpanzees　can　definitely　use　language。　Now　researchers　are　finding　that　parrots　have　the　emotional　development　of　a　three…year…old　child；　but　their　intelligence　is　unquestioned。　Parrots　can　definitely　reason　symbolically。〃
　　　　〃But　I've　never　heard　of　anybody　killed　by　a　parrot；〃　Gennaro　grumbled。

Distantly；　they　could　bear　the　sound　of　the　surf　on　the　island　shore。　The　volcanic　fields　were　behind　them　now；　and　they　faced　a　field　of　boulders。　The　little　raptor　climbed　up　onto　one　rock；　and　then　abruptly　disappeared。
　　　　〃Where'd　it　go？〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　Grant　was　listening　to　the　earphones。　The　beeping　stopped。　〃He's　gone。〃
　　　　They　hurried　forward；　and　found　in　the　midst　of　the　rocks　a　small　bole；　like　a　rabbit　hole。　It　was　perhaps　two　feet　in　diameter。　As　they　watched；　the　juvenile　raptor　reappeared；　blinking　in　the　light。　Then　it　scampered　away。
　　　　〃No　way；〃　Gennaro　said。　〃No　way　I'm　going　down　there。〃
　　　　Grant　said　nothing。　He　and　Ellie　began　to　plug　in　equipment。　Soon　he　had　a　small　video　camera　attached　to　a　hand…held　monitor。　He　tied　the　camera　to　a　rope；　turned　it　on；　and　lowered　it　down　the　hole。
　　　　〃You　can't　see　anything　that　way；〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　〃Let　it　adjust；〃　Grant　said。　There　was　enough　light　along　the　upper　tunnel　for　them　to　see　smooth　dirt　walls；　and　then　the　tunnel　opened　out…suddenly；　abruptly。　Over　the　microphone；　they　heard　a　squeaking　sound。　Then　a　lower；　trumpeting　sound。　More　noises；　ing　from　many　animals。
　　　　〃Sounds　like　the　nest；　all　right；〃　Ellie　said。
　　　　〃But　you　can't　see　anything；〃　Gennaro　said。　He　wiped　the　sweat　off　his　forehead。
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃But　I　can　hear。　〃　He　listened　for　a　while　longer；　and　then　hauled　the　camera　out；　and　set　it　on　the　ground。　〃Let's　get　started。〃　He　climbed　up　toward　the　bole。　Ellie　went　to　get　a　flashlight　and　a　shock　stick。　Grant　pulled　the　gas　mask　on　over　his　face；　and　crouched　down　awkwardly；　extending　his　legs　backward。
　　　　〃You　can't　be　serious　about　going　down　there；〃　Gennaro　said。
　　　　Grant　nodded。　〃It　doesn't　thrill　me。　I'll　go　first；　then　Ellie；　then　you　e　after。〃
　　　　〃Now；　wait　a　minute；〃　Gennaro　said；　in　sudden　alarm。　〃Why　don't　we　drop　these　nerve…gas　grenades　down　the　hole；　then　go　down　afterward？　Doesn't　that　make　more　sense？〃
　　　　〃Ellie；　you　got　the　flashlight？〃
　　　　She　handed　the　flashlight　to　Grant。
　　　　〃What　about　it？〃　Gennaro　said。　〃What　do　you　say？〃
　　　　〃I'd　like　nothing　better；〃　Grant　said。　He　backed　down　toward　the　hole。　〃You　ever　seen　anything　die　from　poison　gas？〃
　　　　〃No　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃It　generally　causes　convulsions。　Bad　convulsions。〃
　　　　〃Well；　I'm　sorry　if　it's　unpleasant；　but…〃
　　　　〃Look；〃　Grant　said。　〃We're　going　into　this　nest　to　find　out　how　many　animals　have　hatched。　If　you　kill　the　animals　first；　and　some　of　them　fall　on　the　nests　in　their　spasms；　that　will　ruin　our　ability　to　see　what　was　there。　So　we　can't　do　that；〃
　　　　〃But…〃
　　　　〃You　made　these　animals；　Mr。　Gennaro。〃
　　　　〃I　didn't。〃
　　　　〃Your　money　did。　Your　efforts　did。　You　helped　create　them。　They're　your　creation。　And　you　can't　just　kill　them　be