Хребты безумия
II
Clearly,itwasamphibian,andprobablyadaptedtolongairlesshibernationperiodsaswell. Vocalorgansseemedpresentinconnectionwiththemainrespiratorysystem,buttheypresentedanomaliesbeyondimmediatesolution. Articulatespeech,inthesenseofsyllableutterance,seemedbarelyconceivable,butmusicalpipingnotescoveringawiderangewerehighlyprobable. Themuscularsystemwasalmostprematurelydeveloped.
ThenervoussystemwassocomplexandhighlydevelopedastoleaveLakeaghast. Thoughexcessivelyprimitiveandarchaicinsomerespects,thethinghadasetofganglialcentersandconnectivesarguingtheveryextremesofspecializeddevelopment. Itsfive-lobedbrainwassurprisinglyadvanced,andthereweresignsofasensoryequipment,servedinpartthroughthewiryciliaofthehead,involvingfactorsalientoanyotherterrestrialorganism. Probablyithasmorethanfivesenses,sothatitshabitscouldnotbepredictedfromanyexistinganalogy. Itmust,Lakethought,havebeenacreatureofkeensensitivenessanddelicatelydifferentiatedfunctionsinitsprimalworld-muchliketheantsandbeesoftoday. Itreproducedlikethevegetablecrytogams,especiallythePteridophyta,havingsporecasesatthetipsofthewingsandevidentlydevelopingfromathallusorprothallus.
Buttogiveitanameatthisstagewasmerefolly. Itlookedlikearadiate,butwasclearlysomethingmore. Itwaspartlyvegetable,buthadthree-fourthsoftheessentialsofanimalstructure. Thatitwasmarineinorigin,itssymmetricalcontourandcertainotherattributesclearlyindicated;yetonecouldnotbeexactastothelimitofitslateradaptations. Thewings,afterall,heldapersistentsuggestionoftheaerial. Howitcouldhaveundergoneitstremendouslycomplexevolutiononanew-bornearthintimetoleaveprintsinArchaeanrockswassofarbeyondconceptionastomakeLakewhimsicallyrecalltheprimalmythsaboutGreatOldOneswhofiltereddownfromthestarsandconcoctedearthlifeasajokeormistake;
