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to the stegosaur's mouth。
Lex wrinkled her nose。 〃This thing sure is big；〃 she said。 〃And smelly。〃
〃Yes； it is。〃 Ellie had already noticed the stegosaur had a peculiar odor； like rotting fish。 It reminded her of something she knew； but couldn't quite place。 In any case； she had never smelled a stegosaur before。 Maybe this was its characteristic odor。 But she had her doubts。 Most herbivores did not have a strong smell。 Nor did their droppings。 It was reserved for the meat…eaters to develop a real stink。
〃Is that because it's sick？〃 Lex asked。
〃Maybe。 And don't forget the vet's tranquilized it。〃
〃Ellie； have a look at this tongue；〃 Grant said。
The dark purple tongue drooped limply from the animal's mouth。 The vet shone a light on it so she could see the very fine silvery blisters。 〃Microvesicles；〃 Ellie said。 〃Interesting。〃
〃We've had a difficult time with these stegos；〃 the vet said。 〃They're always getting sick。〃
〃What are the symptoms？〃 Ellie asked。 She scratched the tongue with her fingernail。 A clear liquid exuded from the broken blisters。
〃Ugh；〃 Lex said；
〃Imbalance； disorientation； labored breathing； and massive diarrhea；〃 Harding said。 〃Seems to happen about once every six weeks or so。〃
〃They feed continuously？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 Harding said。 〃Animal this size has to take in a minimum of five or six hundred pounds of plant matter daily just to keep going。 They're constant foragers。〃
〃Then it's not likely to be poisoning from a plant；〃 Ellie said。 Constant browsers would be constantly sick if they were eating a toxic plant。 Not every six weeks。
〃Exactly；〃 the vet said。
〃May I？〃 Ellie asked。 She took the flashlight from the vet。 〃You have pupillary effects from the tranquilizer？〃 she said； shining the light in the stegosaur's eye。
〃Yes。 There's a miotic effect； pupils are constricted。〃
〃But these pupils are dilated；〃 she said。
Harding looked。 There was no question： the stegosaur's pupil was dilated； and did not contract when light shone on it。 〃I'll be damned；〃 he said。 〃That's a pharmacological effect。〃
〃Yes。〃 Ellie got back on her feet and looked around。 〃What is the animal's range？〃
〃About five square miles。〃
〃In this general area？〃 she asked。 They were in an open meadow； with scattered rocky outcrops； and intermittent plumes of steam rising from the ground。 It was late afternoon； and the sky was pink beneath the lowering gray clouds。
〃Their range is mostly north and cast of here；〃 Harding said。 〃But when they get sick； they're usually somewhere around this particular area。〃
It was an interesting puzzle； she thought。 How to explain the periodicity of the poisoning？ She pointed across the field。 〃You see those low； delicate…looking bushes？〃
〃West Indian lilac。〃 Harding nodded。 〃We know it's toxic。 The animals don't eat it。〃
〃You're sure？〃
〃Yes。 We monitor them on video； and I've checked droppings just to be certain。 The stegos never eat the lilac bushes。〃
Melia azedarach； called chinaberry or West Indian lilac； contained a number of toxic alkaloids。 The Chinese used the plant as a fish poison。
〃They don't eat it；〃 the vet said。
〃Interesting；〃 Ellie said。 〃Because otherwise I would have said that this animal shows all the classic signs of Melia toxicity： stupor； blistering of the mucous membranes； and pupillary dilatation。〃 She set off toward the field to examine the plants more closely； her body bent over the ground。 〃You're right；〃 she said。 〃Plants are healthy； no sign of being eaten。 None at all。〃
〃And there's the six…week interval；〃 the vet reminded her。
〃The stegosaurs e here how often？〃
〃About once a week；〃 he said。 〃Stegos make a slow loop through their home…range territory； feeding as they go。 They plete the loop in about a week。〃
〃But they're only sick once every six weeks。〃
〃Correct；〃 Harding said。
〃This is boring；〃 Lex said。
〃Ssshb；〃 Tim said。 〃Dr。 Sattler's trying to think。〃
〃Unsuccessfully；〃 Ellie said； walking farther out into the field。
Behind her； she heard Lex saying； 〃Anybody want to play a little pickle？〃
Ellie stared at the ground。 The field was rocky in many places。 She could hear the sound of the surf； somewhere to the left。 There were berries among the rocks。 Perhaps the animals were just eating berries。 But that didn't make sense。 West Indian lilac berries were terribly bitter。
〃Finding anything？〃 Grant said； ing up to join her。
Ellie sighed。 〃Just rocks；〃 she said。 〃We must be near the beach； because all these rocks are smooth。 And they're in funny little piles。〃
〃Funny little piles？〃 Grant said。
〃All over。 There's one pile right there。〃 She pointed。
As soon as she did； she realized what she was looking at。 The rocks were worn； but it had nothing to do with the ocean。 These rocks were heaped in small piles； almost as if they had been thrown down that way。
They were piles of gizzard stones。
Many birds and crocodiles swallowed small stones； which collected in a muscular pouch in the digestive tract； called the gizzard。 Squeezed by the muscles of the gizzard； the stones helped crush tough plant food before it reached the stomach； and thus aided digestion。 Some scientists thought dinosaurs also had gizzard stones。 For one thing； dinosaur teeth were too small； and too little worn； to have been used for chewing food。 It was presumed that dinosaurs swallowed their food whole and let the gizzard stones break down the plant fibers。 And some skeletons had been found with an associated pile of small stones in the abdominal area。 But it had never been verified； and…
〃Gizzard stones；〃 Grant said。
〃I think so； yes。 They swallow these stones； and after a few weeks the stones are worn smooth； so they regurgitate them； leaving this little pile； and swallow fresh stones。 And when they do； they swallow berries as well。 And get sick。〃
〃I'll be damned；〃 Grant said。 〃I'm sure you're right。〃
He looked at the pile of stones； brushing through them with his band； following the instinct of a paleontologist。
Then he stopped。
〃Ellie；〃 he said。 〃Take a look at this。〃
〃Put it there； babe！ Right in the old mitt！〃 Lex cried； and Gennaro threw the ball to her。
She threw it back so hard that his hand stung。 〃Take it easy！ I don't have a glove！〃
〃You wimp！〃 she said contemptuously。
Annoyed； he fired the ball at her； and heard it smack！ in the leather。 〃Now that's more like it；〃 she said。
Standing by the dinosaur； Gennaro continued to play catch as he talked to Malcolm。 〃How does this sick dinosaur fit into your theory？〃
〃It's predicted；〃 Malcolm said。
Gennaro shook his head。 〃Is anything not predicted by your theory？〃
〃Look；〃 Malcolm said。 〃It's nothing to do with me。 It's chaos theory。 But I notice nobody is willing to listen to the consequences of the mathematics。 Because they imply very large consequences for human life。 Much larger than Heisenberg's principle or G？del's theorem； which everybody rattles on about。 Those are actually rather academic considerations。 Philosophical considerations。 But chaos theory concerns everyday life。 Do you know w