Поющие в терновнике

           Thebirdlifewassorichandvariedthereseemednoendtonewkinds,andtheylivednotinonesandtwosbutinthousandsuponthousands:tinygreen-and-yellowparakeetsFeeusedtocalllove-birds,butwhichthelocalscalledbudgerigars;scarlet-and-bluesmallishparrotscalledrosellas;bigpale-greyparrotswithbrilliantpurplish-pinkbreasts,underwingsandheads,calledgalahs;andthegreatpurewhitebirdswithcheekyyellowcombscalledsulphur-crestedcockatoos.Exquisitetinyfincheswhirredandwheeled,sodidsparrowsandstarlings,andthestrongbrownkingfisherscalledkookaburraslaughedandchuckledgleefullyordivedforsnakes,theirfavoritefood.Theywerewell-nighhuman,allthesebirds,andcompletelywithoutfear,sittinginhundredsinthetreespeeringaboutwithbrightintelligenteyes,screaming,talking,laughing,imitatinganythingthatproducedasound.

           Fearsomelizardsfiveorsixfeetlongpoundedoverthegroundandleapedlithelyforhightreebranches,asathomeofftheearthasonit;theyweregoannas.Andthereweremanyotherlizards,smallerbutsomenolessfrightening,adornedwithhornytriceratopeanruffsabouttheirnecks,orwithswollen,bright-bluetongues.Ofsnakesthevarietywasalmostendless,andtheClearyslearnedthatthebiggestandmostdangerous-lookingwereoftenthemostbenign,whileastumpylittlecreatureafootlongmightbeadeathadder;carpetsnakes,coppersnakes,treesnakes,red-belliedblacksnakes,brownsnakes,lethaltigersnakes.