jurassic.park-第6章

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k　lizard　bites。　Next　he　checked　International　BioSciences　Services；　a　puter　database　in　America；　But　he　found　no　references　to　basilisk　bites；　or　hospitalization　for　lizard　bites。
　　　　He　then　called　the　medical　officer　in　Amaloya；　who　confirmed　that　a　nine…day…old　infant；　sleeping　in　its　crib；　had　been　bitten　on　the　foot　by　an　animal　the　grandmother…the　only　person　actually　to　see　it…claimed　was　a　lizard。　Subsequently　the　foot　had　bee　swollen　and　the　infant　had　nearly　died。　The　grandmother　described　the　lizard　as　green　with　brown　stripes。　It　had　bitten　the　child　several　times　before　the　woman　frightened　it　away。
　　　　〃Strange；〃　Guitierrez　had　said。
　　　　〃No；　like　all　the　others；〃　the　medical　officer　replied；　adding　that　he　had　heard　of　other　biting　incidents：　A　child　in　Vásquez；　the　next　village　up　the　coast；　had　been　bitten　while　sleeping。　And　another　in　Puerta　Sotrero。　All　these　incidents　had　occurred　in　the　last　two　months。　All　had　involved　sleeping　children　and　infants。
　　　　Such　a　new　and　distinctive　pattern　led　Guitierrez　to　suspect　the　presence　of　a　previously　unknown　species　of　lizard。　This　was　particularly　likely　to　happen　in　Costa　Rica。　Only　seventy…five　miles　wide　at　its　narrowest　point；　the　country　was　smaller　than　the　state　of　Maine。　Yet；　within　its　limited　space；　Costa　Rica　had　a　remarkable　diversity　of　biological　habitats：　seacoasts　on　both　the　Atlantic　and　the　Pacific；　four　separate　mountain　ranges；　including　twelve…thousand…foot　peaks　and　active　volcanoes；　rain　forests；　cloud　forests；　temperate　zones；　swampy　marshes；　and　arid　deserts。　Such　ecological　diversity　sustained　an　astonishing　diversity　of　plant　and　animal　life。　Costa　Rica　had　three　times　as　many　species　of　birds　as　all　of　North　America。　More　than　a　thousand　species　of　orchids。　More　than　five　thousand　species　of　insects。
　　　　New　species　were　being　discovered　all　the　time　at　a　pace　that　had　increased　in　recent　years；　for　a　sad　reason。　Costa　Rica　was　being　deforested；　and　as　jungle　species　lost　their　habitats；　they　moved　to　other　areas；　and　sometimes　changed　behavior　as　well。
　　　　So　a　new　species　was　perfectly　possible。　But　along　with　the　excitement　of　a　new　species　was　the　worrisome　possibility　of　new　diseases。　Lizards　carried　viral　diseases；　including　several　that　could　be　transmitted　to　man。　The　most　serious　was　central　saurian　encephalitis；　or　CSE；　which　caused　a　form　of　sleeping　sickness　in　human　beings　and　horses。　Guitierrez　felt　it　was　important　to　find　this　new　lizard；　if　only　to　test　it　for　disease。
　　　　Sitting　on　the　beach；　he　watched　the　sun　drop　lower；　and　sighed。　Perhaps　Tina　Bowman　had　seen　a　new　animal；　and　perhaps　not。　Certainly　Guitierrez　had　not。　Earlier　that　morning；　he　had　taken　the　air　pistol；　loaded　the　clip　with　ligamine　darts；　and　set　out　for　the　beach　with　high　hopes。　But　the　day　was　wasted。　Soon　he　would　have　to　begin　the　drive　back　up　the　hill　from　the　beach；　he　did　not　want　to　drive　that　road　in　darkness。
　　　　Guitierrez　got　to　his　feet　and　started　back　up　the　beach。　Farther　along；　he　saw　the　dark　shape　of　a　howler　monkey；　ambling　along　the　edge　of　the　mangrove　swamp。　Guitierrez　moved　away；　stepping　out　toward　the　water。　If　there　was　one　howler；　there　would　probably　be　others　in　the　trees　overhead；　arid　howlers　tended　to　urinate　on　intruders。
　　　　But　this　particular　howler　monkey　seemed　to　be　alone；　and　walking　slowly；　and　pausing　frequently　to　sit　on　its　haunches。　The　monkey　had　something　in　its　mouth。　As　Guitierrez　came　closer；　he　saw　it　was　eating　a　lizard。　The　tail　and　the　hind　legs　drooped　from　the　monkey's　jaws。　Even　from　a　distance；　Guitierrez　could　see　the　brown　stripes　against　the　green。
　　　　Guitierrez　dropped　to　the　ground　and　aimed　the　pistol。　The　howler　monkey；　accustomed　to　living　in　a　protected　reserve；　stared　curiously。　He　did　not　run　away；　even　when　the　first　dart　whined　harmlessly　past　him。　When　the　second　dart　struck　deep　in　the　thigh；　the　howler　shrieked　in　anger　and　surprise；　dropping　the　remains　of　its　meal　as　it　fled　into　the　jungle。
　　　　Guitierrez　got　to　his　feet　and　walked　forward。　He　wasn't　worried　about　the　monkey；　the　tranquilizer　dose　was　too　small　to　give　it　anything　but　a　few　minutes　of　dizziness。　Already　he　was　thinking　of　what　to　do　with　his　new　find。　Guitierrez　himself　would　write　the　preliminary　report；　but　the　remains　would　have　to　be　sent　back　to　the　United　States　for　final　positive　identification；　of　course。　To　whom　should　he　send　it？　The　acknowledged　expert　was　Edward　H。　Simpson；　emeritus　professor　of　zoology　at　Columbia　University；　in　New　York。　An　elegant　older　man　with　swept…back　white　hair；　Simpson　was　the　world's　leading　authority　on　lizard　taxonomy。　Probably；　Marty　thought；　he　would　send　his　lizard　to　Dr。　Simpson。

New　York
　
Dr。　Richard　Stone；　head　of　the　Tropical　Diseases　Laboratory　of　Columbia　University　Medical　Center；　often　remarked　that　the　name　conjured　up　a　grander　place　than　it　actually　was。　In　the　early　twentieth　century；　when　the　laboratory　occupied　the　entire　fourth　floor　of　the　Biomedical　Research　Building；　crews　of　technicians　worked　to　eliminate　the　scourges　of　yellow　fever；　malaria；　and　cholera。　But　medical　successes…and　research　laboratories　in　Nairobi　and　S？o　Paulo…had　left　the　TDL　a　much　less　important　place　than　it　once　was。　Now　a　fraction　of　its　former　size；　it　employed　only　two　full…time　technicians；　and　they　were　primarily　concerned　with　diagnosing　illnesses　of　New　Yorkers　who　had　traveled　abroad。　The　lab's　fortable　routine　was　unprepared　for　what　it　received　that　morning。
　　　　〃Oh；　very　nice；〃　the　technician　in　the　Tropical　Diseases　Laboratory　said；　as　she　read　the　customs　label。　〃Partially　masticated　fragment　of　unidentified　Costa　Rican　lizard。〃　She　wrinkled　her　nose。　〃This　one's　all　yours；　Dr。　Stone。〃
　　　　Richard　Stone　crossed　the　lab　to　inspect　the　new　arrival。　〃Is　this　the　material　from　Ed　Simpson's　lab？〃
　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃But　I　don't　know　why　they'd　send　a　lizard　to　us。
　　　　〃His　secretary　called；〃　Stone　said。　〃Simpson's　on　a　field　trip　in　Borneo　for　the　summer；　and　because　there's　a　question　of　municable　disease　with　this　lizard；　she　asked　our　lab　to　take　a　took　at　it。　Let's　see　what　we've　got。〃
　　　　The　white　plastic　cylinder　was　the　size　of　a　half…gallon　milk　container；　it　had　locking　metal　latches　and　a　screw　top。　It　was　labeled　〃International　Biological　Specimen　Container〃　and　plastered　with　stickers　and　warnings　in　four　languages。　The　warnings　were　intended　to　keep　the　cylinder　from　being　opened　by　suspicious　customs　officials。
　　　　Apparently　the　warnings　had　worked；　as　Richard　Stone　swung　the　big　light　over；　he　could　see　the　seals　were　still　intact。　Stone　turned　on　the　air　handlers　and　pulled　on　plastic　gloves　and　a　face　mask。　After　all；　the　lab　had　recently　identified　specimens　contaminated　with　Venezuelan　equine　fever；　Japanese　B　encephalitis；　Kyasanur　Forest　virus；　Langat　virus；　and　Mayaro。　Then　he　unscrewed　the　top。
　　　　There　was　the　hiss　of　escaping　gas；　and　white　smoke　boiled　out。　The　cylinder　turned　frosty　cold。　Inside　he　found　a　plastic　zip…lock　sandwich　bag；　containing　something　green。　Stone　spread　a　surgical　drape　on　the　table　and　shook　out　the　contents　of　the　bag。　A　piece　of　frozen　flesh　struck　the　table　with　a　dull　thud。
　　　　〃Huh；〃　the　technician　said。　〃Looks　eaten。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　it　does；〃　Stone　said。　〃What　do　they　want　with　us？〃
　　　　The　technician　consulted　the　enclosed　documents。　〃Lizard　is　biting　local　children。　They　have　a　question　about　identification　of　the　species；　and　a　concern　about　diseases　transmitted　from　the　bite。〃　She　produced　a　child's　picture　of　a　lizard；　signed　TINA　at　the　top。　〃One　of　the　kids　drew　a　picture　of　the　lizard。〃
　　　　Stone　glanced　at　the　picture。　〃Obviously　we　can't　verify　the　species；〃　Stone　said。　〃But　we　can　check　diseases　easily　enough；　if　we　can　get　any　blood　out　of　this　fragment。　What　are　they　calling　this　animal？〃
　　　　〃　'Basiliscus　amoratus　with　three…toed　genetic　anomaly；'　〃　she　said；　reading。
　　　　〃Okay；〃　Stone　said。　〃Let's　get　started。　While　you're　waiting　for　it　to　thaw；　do　an　X…ray　and　take　Polaroids　for　the　record。　Once　we　have　blood；　start　running　antibody　sets　until　we　get　some　matches。　Let　me　know　if　there's　a　problem。〃

Before　lunchtime；　the　lab　had　its　answer：　the　lizard　blood