"some with
long flowing manes, some spotted, some striped black and yellow, have no
power to harm us. They are kept in barred cages by man, and spend their
lives in wearisome captivity, denied even the solace of amusing
themselves by catching a mouse for supper."

It was the dawn of a winter's morning, when with my comrade I merrily
made my way across the park. The grass was whitened with hoar-frost,
which also glittered on the leafless boughs of the rows of trees which
lined the long straight avenue. We entered the gardens without paying
toll, or in any way obtruding ourselves on the notice of man.

"See here!" exclaimed Whiskerandos, half pettishly, as we passed a pond
with a curious wire-fence all round it. "What a dainty breakfast we
should make of some of the delicate young water-fowl, but for the
extraordinary care which has been taken to shut us out! We can look in,
to be sure, and see our prey, but the ducks do not even flutter, or move
a wing, so secure are they that we cannot reach them!"

The season being winter, we were unable to see many animals from
tropical climes, whose health would have suffered from exposure to cold.
I however regretted this but little. The white bear was shaking his
shaggy coat, the wolf pacing uneasily up and down his den, birds pluming
their feathers in the dull red light, while the monkeys' ceaseless
jabber sounded from the walls of their prison.

"Whiskerandos," said I to my guide, "I care little for making
acquaintance with cats, whether they be little or big; but if any
foreigners of the race of Mus be kept here, might I request you to
introduce me to them?"

Whiskerandos pointed with his nose towards a building. "You will find
relations there," he said, "some of the forty-six classes of our race,
known by the family likeness in their teeth.* For me, I'm going to pay a
visit to the monkeys' house; I'm sure there to find some provision,
always a matter of importance to a rat. The door is shut, but I'll not
trouble the keeper to open it for me!" So saying, with wonderful agility
he began to climb the building, and soon vanished through a hole in the
roof.

Food was to me a subject of at least as great importance as to
Whiskerandos. Even my curiosity had to wait attendance on my appetite.
I was fortunate, however, in discovering half a bun, which had probably
been dropped by some child; and cheered and refreshed I proceeded to the
building in which I was to make my affectio