Затерянный мир
For once I was the Hero
Now,itisverycleartomethatinsolongaperiodonewouldhaveexpectedthatthecarnivorouscreatures,multiplyingunchecked,wouldhaveexhaustedtheirfoodsupplyandhavebeencompelledtoeithermodifytheirflesh-eatinghabitsordieofhunger.Thisweseehasnotbeenso.Wecanonlyimagine,therefore,thatthebalanceofNatureispreservedbysomecheckwhichlimitsthenumbersoftheseferociouscreatures.Oneofthemanyinterestingproblems,therefore,whichawaitoursolutionistodiscoverwhatthatcheckmaybeandhowitoperates.Iventuretotrustthatwemayhavesomefutureopportunityforthecloserstudyofthecarnivorousdinosaurs."
"AndIventuretotrustwemaynot,"Iobserved.
TheProfessoronlyraisedhisgreateyebrows,astheschoolmastermeetstheirrelevantobservationofthenaughtyboy.
"PerhapsProfessorSummerleemayhaveanobservationtomake,"hesaid,andthetwosavantsascendedtogetherintosomerarefiedscientificatmosphere,wherethepossibilitiesofamodificationofthebirth-ratewereweighedagainstthedeclineofthefoodsupplyasacheckinthestruggleforexistence.
Thatmorningwemappedoutasmallportionoftheplateau,avoidingtheswampofthepterodactyls,andkeepingtotheeastofourbrookinsteadoftothewest.Inthatdirectionthecountrywasstillthicklywooded,withsomuchundergrowththatourprogresswasveryslow.
