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！
〃Oh； we go way back；〃 Dodgson said。
She noticed his vagueness。 〃How far？〃
〃Back to the days of the park。〃
〃The park；〃 she said。
He nodded。 〃Did he ever tell you how he hurt his leg？〃
〃No；〃 she said。 〃He would never talk about it。 He just said it happened on a consulting job that had。。。I don't know。 Some sort of trouble。 Was it a park？〃
〃Yes； in a way；〃 Dodgson said； staring out at the ocean； After a moment； he shrugged。 〃And what about you？ How do you know him？〃
〃He was one of my thesis readers。 I'm an ethologist。 I study large mammals in African grassland ecosystems。 East Africa。 Carnivores； in particular。〃
〃Carnivores？〃
〃I've been studying hyenas；〃 she said。 〃Before that； lions。〃
〃For a long time？〃
〃Almost ten years； now。 Six years continuously； since my doctorate。〃
〃Interesting；〃 Dodgson said； nodding； 〃And so did you e here all the way from Africa？〃
〃Yes； from Seronera。 In Tanzania。〃
Dodgson nodded vaguely。 He looked past her shoulder toward the island。 〃What do you know。 Looks like the weather may clear； after all。〃
She turned and saw streaks of blue in the thinning clouds overhead。 The sun was trying to break through。 The sea was calmer。 And she was surprised to see the island was much closer。 She could clearly see the cliffs； rising above the seas。 The cliffs were reddish…gray volcanic rock； very sheer。
〃In Tanzania；〃 Dodgson said。 〃You run a large research team？〃
〃No。 I work alone。〃
〃No students？〃 he said。
〃I'm afraid not。 It's because my work just isn't very glamorous。 The big savannah carnivores in Africa are primarily nocturnal。 So my research is mostly conducted at night。〃
〃Must be hard on your husband。〃
〃Oh； I'm not married；〃 she said； with a little shrug。
〃I'm surprised；〃 he said。 〃After all； a beautiful woman like you。。。〃
〃I never had time；〃 she said quickly。 To change the subject； she said； 〃Where do you land on this island？〃
Dodgson turned to look。 They were now close enough to the island to see the waves crashing； high and white； against the base of the cliffs。 They were only a mile or two away。
〃It's an unusual island；〃 Dodgson said。 〃This whole region of central America is volcanic。 There are something like thirty active volcanoes between Mexico and Colombia。 All these offshore islands were at one time active volcanoes； part of the central chain。 But unlike the mainland； the islands are now dormant。 Haven't erupted for a thousand years or so。
〃So we're seeing the outside of the crater？〃
〃Exactly。 The cliffs are all the result of erosion from rainfall； but the ocean erodes the base of the cliffs； too。 Those flat sections on the cliff you see are where the ocean cut in at the bottom； and huge areas of the cliff face were undermined； and just cleaved； falling straight down into the sea。 It's all soft volcanic rock。〃
〃And so you land。。。〃
〃There are several places on the windward side where the ocean has cut caves into the cliff。 And at two of those places； the caves meet rivers flowing out from the interior。 So they're passable。〃 He pointed ahead。 〃You see there； you can just now see one of the caves。〃
Sarah Harding saw a dark irregular opening cut into the base of the cliff。 All around it； the waves crashed； plumes of white water rising fifty feet up into the air。
〃You're going to take this boat into that cave there？〃
〃If the weather holds； yes。〃 Dodgson turned away。 〃Don't worry； it's not as bad as it looks。 Anyway； you were saying。 About Africa。 When did you leave Africa？〃
〃Right after Doc Thorne called。 He said he was going with Ian to rescue Richard； and asked if I wanted to e。〃
〃And what did you say？〃
〃I said I'd think about it。〃
Dodgson frowned。 〃You didn't tell him you were ing？〃
〃No。 Because I wasn't sure I wanted to。 I mean； I'm busy。 I have my work。 And it's a long way。〃
〃For an old lover；〃 Dodgson said； nodding sympathetically。
She sighed。 〃Well。 You know。 Ian。〃
〃Yes； I know Ian；〃 Dodgson said。 〃Quite a character。〃
〃That's one way to put it；〃 she said。
There was an awkward silence。 Dodgson cleared his throat。 〃I'm confused；〃 he said； 〃Who exactly did you tell you were ing here？〃
〃Nobody；〃 she said。 〃I just jumped on the next plane and came。〃
〃But what about your university； your colleagues。。。〃
She shrugged。 〃There wasn't time。 And as I said； I work alone。〃 She looked again at the island。 The cliffs rose high above the boat。 They were only a few hundred yards away。 The cave appeared much larger now； but the waves crashed high on either side。 She shook her head。 〃It looks pretty rough。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Dodgson said。 〃See？ The captain's already making for it。 We'll be perfectly safe； once we're passing through。 And then。。。It should be very exciting。〃
The boat rolled and dipped in the sea； an uncertain motion。 She gripped the railing。 Beside her； Dodgson grinned。 〃See what I mean？ Exciting； isn't it？〃 He seemed suddenly energized； almost agitated。 His body became tense； he rubbed his hands together。 〃No need to worry； Ms。 Harding； I can't allow anything to happen to … 〃
She didn't know what he was talking about； but before she could reply； the nose of the boat dipped again； kicking up spray； and she stumbled a little。 Dodgson bent over quickly … apparently to steady her … but it seemed as if something went wrong … his body struck against her legs； then lifted … and then another wave crashed over them and she felt her body twist and she screamed and clutched at the railing。 But it was all happening too fast； the world upended and swirled around her； her head clanged once on the railing and then she was tumbling； falling through space。 She saw the peeling paint on the hull of the boat sliding past her； she saw the green ocean rush up toward her； and then she was shocked with the sudden stinging cold as she plunged into the rough； heaving sea； and sank beneath the waves； into darkness。
The Valley
〃This is going extremely well；〃 Levine said； rubbing his hands together。 〃Far beyond my expectations； I must say。 I couldn't be more pleased。〃
He was standing in the high hide with Thorne； Eddie； Malcolm； and the kids； looking down on the valley floor below。 Everyone was sweating inside the little observation hut； the midday air was still and hot。 Around them； the grassy meadow was deserted； most of the dinosaurs had moved beneath the trees； into the cool of the shade。
The exception was the herd of apatosaurs； which had left the trees to return to the river； where they were now drinking once again。 The huge animals clustered fairly tightly around the water's edge。 In the same vicinity； but more spread out； were the high…crested parasaurolophasaurs； these somewhat smaller dinosaurs positioned themselves near the apatosaur herd。
Thorne wiped sweat out of his eyes and said； 〃Why； exactly； are you pleased？〃
〃Because of what we're seeing here；〃 Malcolm said。 He glanced at his watch； and wrote an entry in his notebook。 〃We're getting the data that I hoped for。 It's very exciting。〃
Thorne yawned； sleepy in the heat。 〃'Why is it exciting？ The dinosaurs are drinking。 What's the big deal？〃
〃Drinking again；〃 Levine corrected him。 〃For the second time in an hour。 At midday。 Such fluid intake is highly suggestive of the thermoregulatory strategies these large creatures employ。〃
〃You mean they drink a lot to stay cool；〃 Thorne said； always impatient with jargon。
〃Yes。 Clearly they do。 Drink a lot。 But in my view； their return to the river may have another significance entirely。〃
〃Which is？〃
〃e； e；〃 Levine said； pointing。 〃Look at the herds。 Look how they are arranged spatially。 We are seeing something that no one has witnessed before； or even suspected； for dinosaurs。 We're seeing nothing less than inter…species symbiosis。〃
〃We are？〃
Yes；〃 Levine said。 〃The apatosaurs and the parasaurs are together。 I saw them together yesterday； too。 I'll bet that they're always together； when they're out on the open plain。 Undoubtedly you are wondering why。〃
〃Undoubtedly；〃 Thorne said。
〃The reason；〃 Levine said； 〃is that the apatosaurs are very strong but weak…sighted； whereas the parasaurs are smaller； but have very sharp vision。 So the two species stay together because they provide a mutual defense。 just the way zebras and baboons stay together on the African plain。 Zebras have a good sense of smell； and baboons have good eyesight。 Together they're more effective against predators than either is alone。〃
〃And you think this is true of the dinosaurs because。。。〃
〃It's rather obvious；〃 Levine said。 〃Just look at the behavior。 When the two herds were alone； each clustered tightly among themselves。 But when they're together； the parasaurs spread out； abandoning their former herd arrangement； to form an outer ring around the apatosaurs。 Just as you see them now。 That can only mean that individual paras are going to be protected by the apatosaur herd。 And vice versa。 It can only be a mutual predator defense。〃
As they watched； one of the parasaurs lifted its head； and stared across the river。 It honked mournfully； a long musical sound。 All the other parasaurs looked up and stared； too。 The apatosaurs continued to drink at the river； although one or two adults raised their long necks。
In the midday heat； insects buzzed around them； Thorne said； 〃So where are the predators？〃
〃Right there；〃 Malcolm said； pointing toward a stand of trees on the other side of the river； not far from the water。
Thorne looked； and saw nothing。
〃Don't you see them？〃
〃No。〃
〃Keep looking。 They're small； lizard…like animals。 Dark brown。 Raptors；〃 he said。
Thorne shrugged。 He still saw nothing。 Standing beside him； Levine began to eat a power bar。 Preoccupied with holding the binoculars； he dropped the wrapper on the floor of the hide。 Bits of paper fluttered to the ground below。
〃How are those things？〃 Arby said。
〃Okay。 A little sugary。〃
〃Got any more？〃 he said。
Levine rummaged in his pockets and gave him one。 Arby broke it in half； and gave half to Kelly。 He began to unwrap his half； carefully folding the paper； putting it neatly in his pocket。
〃You realize this is all highly significant；〃 Malcolm said。 〃For the question of extinction。 Already it's obvious that the extinction of the dinosaurs is a far more plex problem than anyone has recognized。〃
〃It is？〃 Arby said。
〃Well； consider；〃 Malcolm said。 〃All extinction theories are based on the fossil record。 But the fossil record doesn't show the sort of behavior we're seeing here。 It doesn't record the plexity of groups interacting。〃
〃Because fossils are just bones；〃 Arby said。
〃Right。 And bones are not behavior。 When you think about it； the fossil record is like a series of photographs： frozen moments from what is really a moving； ongoing reality。 Looking at the fossil record is like thumbing through a family photo album。 You know that the album isn't plete。 You know life happens between the pictures。 But you don't have any record of what happens in between； you only have the pictures。 So you study them； and study them。 And pretty soon； you begin to think of the album not as a series of moments； but as reality itself。 And you begin to explain everything in terms of the album； and you forget the underlying reality。
〃And the tendency；〃 Malcolm said； 〃has been to think in terms of physical events。 To assume that some external physical event caused the extinctions。 A meteor hits the earth； and changes the weather。 Or volcanoes erupt； and change the weather。 Or a meteor causes the volcanoes to erupt and change the weather。 Or vegetation changes； and species starve and bee extinct。 Or a new disease arises； and species bee extinct。 Or a new plant arises； and poisons all the dinosaurs。 In every case； what is imagined is some external event。 But what nobody imagines is that the animals themselves might have changed…not in their bones； but their behavior。 Yet when you look at animals like these； and see how intricately their behavior is interrelated； you realize that a change in group behavior could easily lead to extinction。〃
〃But why wou