206 WILD ANIMAL CELEBRITIES 



the feeding could in this way be made inter- 

 esting to visitors. So the fish and meat were 

 offered in the most tempting morsels from the 

 edge of the tank by the keepers, but, although 

 five pairs of eyes looked at the morsels, the 

 alligators would neither touch it or even come 

 forward and for several days they fasted until 

 it was feared they would starve. 



And then, one day, when it had been de- 

 cided to try it once more and if the reptiles 

 refused to take their food in this way to give 

 it up, Old Mose led the way and swam to- 

 wards the keepers, opened his huge jaws and 

 received as a reward a large plump fowl. 

 From that time Old Mose was always ready at 

 feeding time with widely extended jaws, and 

 when his companions followed his example he 

 always did his best to prevent their getting 

 any, especially poor Number Two. 



His greediness was just as great as his 

 bullying, and the keepers had to see that the 

 others got their food by keeping him back 

 with poles, or shutting him off until they had 

 finished. But this practice of lining up for 



