how i can allow C# to add another type of structure to add within or add list of same type?

Question

i have a List<animal> where i want to add all animal their even i can add them or add them whole list.

how i can do something that they allow to add the List<rat> or rat their is not only one i need to add any type of animal in it.

means i can allow both

List<animal> animal  = new List<animal>();

animal.Add(new rat());
animal.Add(new List<Elephant>());

i need a thing more that all animal is all animal found in animal list. i not need to count all object i need to count Every animal who add seprately or add whole list.

Can someone explain the code in C#.

Answer 1

List<animal> animal  = new List<animal>();
animal.Add(new Animal());
animal.AddRange(new List<animal>());

Of course if the types you are willing to add don't have a common base parent you cannot use a generic list. You might use an ArrayList which allows for storing any types.

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UPDATE:

If Rat and Elephant both derive from Animal you can always do

List<animal> animal  = new List<animal>();
animal.Add(new Rat());

And in .NET 4.0 thanks to generic covariance you can also do:

animal.AddRange(new List<Elephant>()); 

but not in previous versions of the framework.