Onze Stam. Jaargang 1907

[p. 9]

The Mouse

The Mouse⁽¹⁾ is called a rodent;⁽²⁾ that is an animal which gnaws.⁽³⁾ Its teeth⁽⁴⁾ are especially suited⁽⁵⁾ for this work and consist of two kinds incisors or cutting teeth and molars or grinding⁽⁶⁾ teeth.

The incisors are four in number. They are the front teeth, two in the upper and two in the lower jaw⁽⁷⁾. They are curved,⁽⁸⁾ long, broad, flat, and very sharp.

They are sometimes called chisel⁽⁹⁾ teeth, because they are like a chisel in shape,⁽¹⁰⁾ and work like a chisel, which cuts off⁽¹¹⁾ wood in little slices.⁽¹²⁾

It is with these teeth that the mouse nor only gnaws its food but also eats its way through boards.⁽¹³⁾

The incisors continue to grow as long as the animal lives. They are therefore never worn away⁽¹⁴⁾ by the constant hard use to which they are put and are always of the same length.

If by accident one of these teeth is broken off, having nothing to work against and wear it away, continues to grow, causing injury (15) and sometimes death.

These teeth are soft underneath, (16) and hard on the front or outer part, their edges (17) are always kept sharp like the edge of a chisel.

Arnold.

(1) Plural: mice.

(2) Lat. Rodere.

(3) Cf. Knagen, - Nagen (D)

(4) Tooth. tand, Gothic: tunthus.

(5) Syn. Fit for.

(6) Grind: malen.

(7) Kaak; cheek; kaakbeen

(8) Curbare (Lat,)

(9) Ciseau: beitel.

(10) Geschapen

(11) Adverb: af.

(12) Schil.- Snede.

(13) Borden.

(14) Weggesl[e]ten.