occasionally met with in the Wild Rabbit. 



23 



when opened, the stomach was found to contain about half 

 the usual quantity of vegetable food, which was extremely 

 hard and compact, having been badly or imperfectly masti- 

 cated. The liver was somewhat reduced, sickly, and with 

 very little gall ; but in other respects the animal presented 

 nothing remarkable. 



The second specimen (Jig. 4.) exhibits another instance 



of this singular deformity. 

 Here, however, the upper 

 pair of incisors only had 

 been affected : these com- 

 menced diverging from their 

 natural position at the same 

 distance as in the former in- 

 stance, describing nearly a 

 complete circle, but spread- 

 ing outward, so as to leave 

 the sides of the lips un- 

 touched. The curve thus 

 formed was regular, and not entirely destitute of elegance : the 

 lower pair of incisors were of their natural size, though some- 

 what worn on their outward edges, from their friction against 

 the diverging planes of the upper pair. The grinders pre- 

 sented nothing remarkable. The disposition of the teeth in 

 this specimen could not so much impede the feeding of this 

 animal as in the other example ; but the displacement of the 

 lower incisors, as in that instance, must have speedily proved 

 fatal to it. 



The primary cause of this anomaly in the incisors of this 

 class of Rodentia has been attributed [See Vol.11, p. 134., 

 Vol. III. p. 27.] to the accidental direction given to the teeth 

 in the first stages of growth, or the loss of one or more of the 

 opposing set, or to too soft food. If, however, the soft quality 

 of the food were a cause of the disease, I think that frequent 

 examples of this monstrosity would be found among the tamed 

 or domesticated rabbits, which are often entirely fed on soft food. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Guernsey, Nov. 1. 1830. Frederick C. Lukis. 



The head of a wild rabbit was, six or seven years ago, 

 given to me with the four principal incisors in the two jaws 

 considerably elongated and curved : it came off" the pre- 

 mises of Robert Bevan, Esq., Rougham, Suffolk, and the ani- 

 mal itself, which, as I understood, was caught and killed, in 



c 4 



