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 animal…feeding program reset itself every twelve hours； not every twenty…four hours； and would not record feedings on Sundays。 As a result； the staff could not accurately measure how much the animals were eating。
The security system； which controlled all the security…card…operated doors； cut out whenever main power was lost； and did not e back on with auxiliary power。 The security Program only ran with main power。
The physical conservation program； intended to dim lights after 10：00 p。m。； only worked on alternate days of the week。
The automated fecal analysis （called Auto Poop）； designed to check for parasites in the animal stools； invariably recorded all specimens as having the parasite Phagostomum venulosum； although none did。 The program then automatically dispensed medication into the animals' food。 If the handlers dumped the medicine out of the hoppers to prevent its being dispensed； an alarm sounded which could not be turned off。
And so it went； page after page of errors。
When he had arrived； Dennis Nedry had been under the impression that he could make all the fixes himself over the weekend。 He had paled when he saw the full listing。 Now he was calling his office in Cambridge； telling his staff programmers they were going to have to cancel their weekend plans and work overtime until Monday。 And he had told John Arnold that he would need to use every telephone link between Isla Nublar and the mainland just to transfer program data back and forth to his programmers。
While Nedry worked； Arnold punched up a new window in his own monitor。 It allowed him to see what Nedry was doing at the corner console。 Not that he didn't trust Nedry。 But Arnold just liked to know what was going on。
He looked at the graphics display on his right…hand console； which showed the progress of the electric Land Cruisers。 They were following the river； just north of the aviary； and the ornithischian paddock。
〃If you look to your left；〃 said the voice； 〃you will see the dome of the Jurassic Park aviary； which is not yet finished for visitors。〃 Tim saw sunlight glinting off aluminum struts in the distance。 〃And directly below is our Mesozoic jungle river…where； if you are lucky； you just may catch a glimpse of a very rare carnivore。 Keep your eyes peeled； everyone！〃
Inside the Land Cruiser； the screens showed a bird…like head topped with a flaming red crest。 But everyone in Tim's car was looking out the windows。 The car was driving along a high ridge； overlooking a fast…moving river below。 The river was almost enclosed by dense foliage on both sides。
〃There they are now；〃 said the voice。 〃The animals you see are called dilophosaurs。〃
Despite what the recording said； Tim saw only one。 The dilophosaur crouched on its hind legs by the river； drinking。 It was built on the basic carnivore pattern； with a heavy tail； strong hind limbs； and a long neck。 Its ten…foot…tall body was spotted yellow and black； like a leopard。
But it was the head that held Tim's attention。 Two broad curving crests ran along the top of the head from the eyes 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