英文科学读本 第二册·Lesson 30 The Rabbit

Lesson 30 The Rabbit

Come and see what father has given me for my birthday present, said Norah— "a pretty tame rabbit in a hutch. Isn't it a beauty, boys? It is nearly as big as our dear old Tabby, and, like her, it has a thick coat of soft warm fur."

It is really a beauty, dear, said Fred and Willie in one breath.

Look at its long ears, Norah went on, "and they are so sharp. At the least sound up they go. And then its large, soft, gentle eyes. Look at them. They are very bright and sharp, although they are soft and gentle."

Do you see, said Fred, "that the rabbit's eyes are placed at the sides of the face, not in front? In its wild state it has many enemies among the flesh-eaters. It is a timid little thing, and cannot fight them. It must get away as fast as it can. The eyes are placed at the sides of the face to help it to see all round as well as in front.

Now, I think, perhaps I can tell you something you do not know about your rabbit, Fred added. "To begin with, if you look at the top lip, you will see that there is a cleft up the middle, which divides it into two halves. As it moves the lips, you can see the four front teeth, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower. They are long, broad, and flat, and very sharp at their edges. Teacher calls them chisel teeth. You have seen father cut off pieces of wood in slices with his chisel.

Let us give Bunny this carrot, and watch how it eats. See, it gnaws or nibbles off pieces with its front chisel teeth. The rabbit is called a gnawing animal because it eats like this. The top lip is split to help it in its gnawing.

Look, Fred, said Willie, "the lower jaw moves from side to side, as well as up and down, while the rabbit is eating."

Then I suppose, said Norah, "the other teeth in both jaws are grinders, for chewing or grinding up the food."

Now I want you to look at the feet, said Fred. "The front legs are shorter than the hind ones. Rabbits move very quickly, but instead of running like most animals, they leap or jump about on their strong hind legs.

If you look at the toes you will see that they are strong, and that each toe has a thick blunt claw. If we put Bunny out in the garden it would soon begin to scratch up the ground with its claws.

SUMMARY

The rabbit has two large chisel teeth, in front of each jaw, for gnawing. Its upper lip is cleft. It has large grinding teeth at the back of the jaws. The jaw moves from side to side, as well as up and down. It is a timid animal; its eyes are at the side of the head; its ears are very sharp. Its front legs are short; and its toes and claws are strong.