ON THE AGE OF THE HORSE. 175 



are distant from each other about three quarters 

 of an hich ; their edges incline upwards, by 

 which means they serve as points of contact for 

 the food, and prevent it from faUing out of the 

 mouth during mastication. 



In the ox these ridges are papillous, the 

 points taking a direction upwards, in which 

 manner they correspond with the direction of 

 those in the tongue. 



The insides of the cheeks of the ox are also 

 furnished with papilla3 of a pyramidal form, 

 pointing upwards towards the throat, the office 

 of which is probably to hold the cud in its pro- 

 per situation while the animal chews it. 



These ridges are large and distinct in a 

 young horse, but become flatter and more level 

 as the animal advances in years, and in very old 

 horses they are nearly absorbed. The front 

 teeth or incisores of both jaws, in a young horse, 



meet 



