Дети капитана Гранта

An Accident

           TheMajorwasfortunateenough,however,tohitoneveryrareanimalwithaballintheleg.Thiswasthejabiru,aspecieswhichisfastdisappearing,thegiganticcraneoftheEnglishcolonies.Thiswingedcreaturewasfivefeethigh,andhiswide,conical,extremelypointedbeak,measuredeighteeninchesinlength.Thevioletandpurpletintsofhisheadcontrastedvividlywiththeglossygreenofhisneck,andthedazzlingwhitenessofhisthroat,andthebrightredofhislonglegs.Natureseemstohaveexhaustedinitsfavoralltheprimitivecolorsonherpalette.

           V.IVVerne

           Greatadmirationwasbestowedonthisbird,andtheMajor’sspoilwouldhavebornethehonorsoftheday,hadnotRobertcomeacrossananimalafewmilesfurtheron,andbravelykilledit.Itwasashapelesscreature,halfporcupine,halfant-eater,asortofunfinishedanimalbelongingtothefirststageofcreation.Alongglutinousextensibletonguehungoutofhisjawsinsearchoftheants,whichformeditsprincipalfood.

           "Itisanechidna,"saidPaganel."Haveyoueverseensuchacreature?"

           "Itishorrible,"repliedGlenarvan.

           "Horribleenough,butcurious,and,what’smore,peculiartoAustralia.Onemightsearchforitinvaininanyotherpartoftheworld."

           Naturallyenough,thegeographerwishedtopreservethisinterestingspecimenofmonotremata,andwantedtostowitawayintheluggage;butM.Olbinettresentedtheideasoindignantly,thattheSAVANTwasobligedtoabandonhisproject.

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