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as monitored by overhead TV cameras and motion sensors。 An overhead thermal sensor moved from one egg to the next； touching each with a flexible wand； beeping； then going on。
〃In this hatchery； we have produced more than a dozen crops of extractions； giving us a total of two hundred thirty…eight live animals。 Our survival rate is somewhere around point four percent； and we naturally want to improve that。 But by puter analysis we're working with something like five hundred variables： one hundred and twenty environmental； another two hundred intra…egg； and the rest from the genetic material itself。 Our eggs are plastic。 The embryos are mechanically inserted； and then hatched here。〃
〃And how long to grow？〃
〃Dinosaurs mature rapidly； attaining full size in two to four years。 So we now have a number of adult specimens in the park。〃
〃What do the numbers mean？〃
〃Those codes；〃 Wu said； 〃identify the various batch extractions of DNA。 The first four letters identify the animals being grown。 Over there； that TRIC means Triceratops。 And the STEC means Stegosaurus； and so on。
〃And this table here？〃 Grant said。
The code said XXXX…0001/1。 Beneath was scrawled 〃Presumed Coelu。〃
〃That's a new batch of DNA；〃 Wu said。 〃We don't know exactly what will grow out。 The first time an extraction is done； we don't know for sure what the animal is。 You can see it's marked 'Presumed Coelu；' so it is likely to be a coelurosaurus。 A small herbivore； if I remember。 It's hard for me to keep track of the names。 There are something like three hundred genera of dinosaurs known so far。〃
〃Three hundred and forty…seven；〃 Tim said。
Grant smiled； then said； 〃Is anything hatching now？〃
〃Not at the moment。 The incubation period varies with each animal； but in general it runs about two months。 We try to stagger hatchings； to make less work for the nursery staff。 You can imagine how it is when we have a hundred and fifty animals born within a few days…though of course most don't survive。 Actually； these X's are due any day now。 Any other questions？ No？ Then we'll go to the nursery； where the newborns are。〃
It was a circular room； all white。 There were some incubators of the kind used in hospital nurseries； but they were empty at the moment。 Rags and toys were scattered across the floor。 A young woman in a white coat was seated on the floor； her back to them。
〃What've you got here today； Kathy？〃 Dr。 Wu asked。
〃Not much；〃 she said。 〃Just a baby raptor。〃
〃Let's have a look。〃
The woman got to her feet and stepped aside。 Tim heard Nedry say； 〃It looks like a lizard。〃
The animal on the floor was about a foot and a half long； the size of a small monkey。 It was dark yellow with brown stripes； like a tiger。 It had a lizard's head and long snout； but it stood upright on strong hind legs； balanced by a thick straight tail。 Its smaller front legs waved in the air。 It cocked its head to one side and peered at the visitors staring down at it。
〃Velociraptor；〃 Alan Grant said； in a low voice。
〃Velociraptor mongoliensis；〃 Wu said； nodding。 〃A predator。 This one's only six weeks old。〃
〃 I just excavated a raptor；〃 Grant said； as he bent down for a closer look。 Immediately the little lizard sprang up； leaping over Grant's head into Tim's arms。
〃Hey！〃
〃They can jump；〃 Wu said。 〃The babies can jump。 So can the adults； as a matter of fact。〃
Tim caught the velociraptor and held it to him。 The little animal didn't weigh very much； a pound or two。 The skin was warm and pletely dry。 The little head was inches from Tim's face。 Its dark； beady eyes stared at him。 A small forked tongue flicked in and out。
〃Will he hurt me？〃
〃No。 She's friendly。〃
〃Are you sure about that？〃 asked Gennaro； with a look of concern。
〃Oh； quite sure；〃 Wu said。 〃At least until she grows a little older。 But； in any case； the babies don't have any teeth； even egg teeth。〃
〃Egg teeth？〃 Nedry said。
〃Most dinosaurs are born with egg teeth…little horns on the tip of the nose； like rhino horns； to help them break out of the eggs。 But raptors aren't。 They poke a hole in the eggs with their pointed snouts； and then the nursery staff has to help them out。〃
〃You have to help them out；〃 Grant said； shaking his head。 〃What happens in the wild？〃
〃In the wild？〃
〃When they breed in the wild；〃 Grant said。 〃When they make a nest。〃
〃Oh； they can't do that；〃 Wu said。 〃None of our animals is capable of breeding。 That's why we have this nursery。 It's the only way to replace stock in Jurassic Park。〃
〃Why can't the animals breed？〃
〃Well； as you can imagine； it's important that they not be able to breed；〃 Wu said。 〃And whenever we faced a critical matter such as this； we designed redundant systems。 That is； we always arranged at least two control procedures。 In this case； there are two independent reasons why the animals can't breed。 First of a they're sterile； because we irradiate them with X…rays。〃
〃And the second reason？〃
〃All the animals in Jurassic Park are female；〃 Wu said； with a pleased smile。
Malcolm said； 〃I should like some clarification about this。 Because it seems to me that irradiation is fraught with uncertainty。 The radiation dose may be wrong； or aimed at the wrong anatomical area of the animal…〃
〃All true；〃 Wu said。 〃But we're quite confident we have destroyed gonadal tissue。〃
〃And as for them all being female；〃 Malcolm said； 〃is that checked？ Does anyone go out and； ah； lift up the dinosaurs' skirts to have a look？ I mean； how does one determine the sex of a dinosaur； anyway？〃
〃Sex organs vary with the species。 It's easy to tell on some； subtle on others。 But； to answer your question； the reason we know all the animals are female is that we literally make them that way： we control their chromosomes； and we control the intra…egg developmental environment。 From a bioengineering standpoint； females are easier to breed。 You probably know that all vertebrate embryos are inherently female。 We all start life as females。 It takes some kind of added effect…such as a hormone at the right moment during development…to transform the growing embryo into a male。 But； left to its own devices； the embryo will naturally bee female。 So our animals are all female。 We tend to refer to some of them as male…such as the Tyrannosaurus rex； we all call it a 'him'…but in fact； they're all female。 And； believe me； they can't breed。〃
The little velociraptor sniffed at Tim； and then rubbed her head against Tim's neck。 Tim giggled。
〃She wants you to feed her；〃 Wu said。
〃What does she eat？〃
〃Mice。 But she's just eaten； so we won't feed her again for a while。〃
The little raptor leaned back； stared at Tim； and wiggled her forearms again in the air。 Tim saw the small claws on the three fingers of each hamd。 Then the raptor burrowed her head against his neck again。
Grant came over； and peered critically at the creature。 He touched the tiny three…clawed band。 He said to Tim； 〃Do you mind？〃 and Tim released the raptor into his hands。
Grant flipped the animal onto its back； inspecting it； while the little lizard wiggled and squirmed。 Then he