CATTLE. 



worn down more than the outer, and the mark will change from the appearance of a broad 

 line to a triangular shape. The commencement of this alteration of form, and diminution of 

 size, may be traced to about the fourth month. The central teeth are now not above half the 

 size of the next pair, and they are evidently lessened. 



At eleven months, the process of diminution will have extended to the four central teeth. 

 The vacuities between them will now be evident enough. 



At fifteen to eighteen months old, from the curious and diminutive appearance of all the 

 incisors of a bullock of that age, we should think it difficult for him to obtain sufficient food 

 to support himself in good condition. 



It is somewhat so, and it may be in a great measure owing to these changes in the teeth, 

 and the difficulty of grazing, that young beasts are subject to so many disorders from seven 

 or eight months and upwards, and are so often out of condition. They contrive, however, to 

 make up lor this temporary disadvantage by diligence in feeding; and, to allude for a moment 

 to another animal, we have known many, not only a broken-mouthed, but a toothless ewe 

 thrive as well as any of the flock, for she was grazing all the day, and ruminating all 

 night. 



At this time, eighteen months old, the corner teeth will not be more than half their 

 natural size; the center ones will be yet more diminished, and the vacuities between them 

 will be almost equal to the width of the teeth. The faces of the teeth also, such faces as 

 remain, will be lengthened; the triangular mark will diminish, and principally in the central 

 teeth; while another, more or less deeply shaded, will begin to appear around the original 

 mark. 



All this while, the second set of teeth, the permanent ones, have been growing in their 

 sockets, approaching towards the gums; but not as is said to be generally the case with other 

 animals, and with the human being in particular, pressing upon the roots of the milk teeth, 

 and causing them to be absorbed, until at length, losing all hold in the socket, they fall out. 

 The process of absorption commences here in the whole milk-tooth, and as much in the crown 

 or body of it, as at its root. 



The process of general diminution seems now for a while retarded ; it is confined to the 

 central teeth, and they gradually waste away until they are no larger in the body than crow- 

 quills. About the expiration of the second year, or a little before, the milk-teeth are 

 pushed out, or give way, and the two central permanent teeth appear. 



At two years old, then, there are two central permanent teeth, with six diminutive milk- 

 teeth remaining; three on either side of the central permanent ones. 



At three years of age, cattle have four central permanent teeth, with four milk teeth 

 remaining; two on either side of the four central ones. The third pair are now getting 

 ready, but the jaw is not yet sufficiently widened for the development of the fourth pair. 



Now the remaining milk teeth will diminish very fast, but they show no disposition to 

 give way, and at four years old there will be six permanent incisors, and often apparently no 

 milk teeth, but if the mouth is examined, the tooth that should have disappeared and the 

 tooth that is to remain until the next year, are huddled together and concealed behind the 

 new permanent tooth. They are often a source of annoyance to the animal; and the tooth 

 whose turn it was to go must be drawn. The four year old mouth, then, should contain six 

 permanent incisors and two milk teeth. 



At the commencement of the fifth year, the eight permanent incisors will be up; but the 

 corner ones will be small. The beast, however, cannot be said to be full-mouthed, i. e., all the 

 incisors fully up, until it is six years old. It will be seen, though, by examining the mouth 

 of five years, that the two central pairs are beginning to be worn down at the edges, and that 

 in a flat direction, or somewhat inclined towards the inside. 



At six years old, the teeth are fully grown, but this mark has extended over the whole 



