344 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



RODENTS' TEETH MISHAPS 



Instances, though rare, of wild rabbits have been met with 

 in which the fore-teeth had grown to an unusual length, to 

 the great discomfort of their unfortunate possessors. As is 

 well known, the incisor teeth of rodents are continually 

 growing, to supply the loss incidental to their gnawing habits. 

 Thus it happens that if one or both incisors become broken, 

 the osseous matter at the root of the tooth opposite still 

 keeps pushing that tooth forward, and a preternatural elonga- 

 tion ensues. How such an unfortunate rabbit manages to 

 feed is not easily explained, and trouble must eventually 

 follow. 



In February, 1895, I obtained a rabbit with both of the top 

 incisors missing, the lower ones being abnormally developed, 

 standing out very much after the fashion of an aged boar's 

 or a babiroussa's tusks, the points very nearly reaching to 

 either eye. It was trapped in the neighbourhood, and not- 

 withstanding its infirmities was in fine condition, furnishing 

 me with an excellent Sunday dinner. 



A rabbit was observed at Norwich at about the same 

 time with one incisor tooth grown and curved to a half- 

 circle. 



A friend of mine has a common brown rat preserved 

 which had grown an under incisor to such an abnormal 

 length that it formed a complete circle, the size of a wedding 

 ring, the tip end coming to within an infinitesimal distance 

 of the part of the tooth protruding above the animal's lip. 



In 1884, when feeding some pheasants in an aviary, I saw 

 the tail of a very large rat protruding from one of the corn 

 hoppers, and immediately understood that an uninvited guest 

 was dining therein. I seized a stick and stealthily crept 

 behind it, whereon the animal, without the slightest show of 

 haste, came out. I immediately knocked it down ; and on 

 picking it up saw that it was an aged individual, thin and 

 emaciated, with the two upper incisors grown over and com- 

 pletely under its chin, preventing the poor beast from 

 properly masticating its food, for each time it moved its jaws 

 the points of the teeth chafed the skin, which showed signs 

 of contact clearly enough. 



