Таємничий острів

           Butitwastobesupposedthatthisdirectionchangedbeyondthatpoint,andthattheMercycontinuedtothenorth-west,towardsthespursofMountFranklin,amongwhichtheriverrose.

           Duringoneoftheseexcursions,GideonSpilettmanagedtogetholdoftwocouplesoflivinggallinaceae.Theywerebirdswithlong,thinbeaks,lengthenednecks,shortwings,andwithoutanyappearanceofatail.Herbertrightlygavethemthenameoftinamous,anditwasresolvedthattheyshouldbethefirsttenantsoftheirfuturepoultry-yard.

           Buttillthenthegunshadnotspoken,andthefirstreportwhichawoketheechoesoftheforestoftheFarWestwasprovokedbytheappearanceofabeautifulbird,resemblingthekingfisher.

           "Irecognizehim!"criedPencroft,anditseemedasifhisgunwentoffbyitself.

           "Whatdoyourecognize?"askedthereporter.

           "Thebirdwhichescapedusonourfirstexcursion,andfromwhichwegavethenametothatpartoftheforest."

           "Ajacamar!"criedHerbert.

           Itwasindeedajacamar,ofwhichtheplumageshineswithametallicluster.Ashotbroughtittotheground,andTopcarriedittothecanoe.Atthesametimehalfadozenlorieswerebroughtdown.Theloryisofthesizeofapigeon,theplumagedashedwithgreen,partofthewingscrimson,anditscrestborderedwithwhite.Totheyoungboybelongedthehonorofthisshot,andhewasproudenoughofit.Loriesarebetterfoodthanthejacamar,thefleshofwhichisrathertough,butitwasdifficulttopersuadePencroftthathehadnotkilledthekingofeatablebirds.