224 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



not ten yards away from the Parrot-house, yet they never come into 

 this building. Here Mice take their place. How is this ? The 

 Rats have probably found out that it is no use going there; they 

 would get nothing for their trouble, for they could not get through 

 the bars of the birds' cages to get at the seed; the little Mice, on the 

 contrary, who, as all well know, are great seed-eaters, with ease run 

 in and out between the wide bars of the Parrots' cages, and help 

 themselves to both seed and water. They have found out that, 

 although the great Cockatoo has such an enormous and formidable- 

 looking bill, it won't hurt them, and that Mr. Cockatoo is not a 

 carnivorous bird. When, therefore, these gaudy denizens of the 

 tropics have finished their day's screaming and 'pretty pollying,' 

 out pop the little Mice, taking tithe of all the seed-boxes they can get 

 at. Having finished their meal they retire behind the hot-water pipes 

 which run round the room, and with full stomachs lie lazily in their 

 warm and comfortable quarters alongside the pipes till they are 

 hungry again. No wonder, therefore, they obey the law ' increase 

 and multiply.' " 



