HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



309 



to the teeth/ he says, 'far surer marks are 

 presented in the teeth, and where there can be 

 little deception from the hands of dealers (or 

 exhibitors), for their interest would generally 

 lead them to give 'a more youthful appearance 

 than nature has allowed.' (I have preferred 

 to commence with the ages of the calf as indi- 

 cated by the teeth, although these have not an 

 especial bearing upon the question which in- 

 duced the presentation of these evidences.) 

 "Youatt says: 'The mouth of the new-born 



FIG. 16. TEETH OF SHORTHORN "CANADIAN CHAM- 

 PION." 

 I (Exhibited as 3 years 6 months 15 days.) 



calf presents an uncertain appearance, depend- 

 ing on the mother having exceeded pr fallen 

 short of the period of utero-gestation. Some- 

 times there will be no vestige of teeth, but gen- 

 erally either two central incisors will be pro- 

 truding through the gums, or they will have 

 arisen and attained considerable bulk. (Fig. 

 1.) About the middle or close of the second 

 week a tooth will be added on either side, mak- 

 ing four incisors, as seen in Fig. 2. At the 

 expiration of the third week the animal has six 

 temporary incisors or front teeth, as seen in 

 Fig. 3. At a month the full number of in- 

 cisors will have appeared. (Fig. 4.) These 

 are the temporary or milk teeth. The enamel 

 will be seen covering the whole crown of the 

 tooth, but not entering into its composition, as 

 in the horse; and it will be observed that the 

 edge is exceedingly sharp. The only indication 

 of increasing age will be the wearing down of 

 these sharp edges, and the appearance of the 

 bony substance of the tooth beneath. 



" 'The two corner teeth will scarcely be up 

 before the center teeth will be a little worn. 

 At two months the edge of the four central 

 teeth will be evidently worn; yet, as the wear- 

 ing is not across the top of the tooth, but a 

 very little out of the line of its inner surface, 

 the edge will remain nearly or quite as sharp 

 as before. At three months the six central 

 teeth and at four months the whole set will 



be worn, and the central ones most of all, but 

 after the second or third month the edge of 

 the teeth will begin to wear down, and there will 

 be more of a flat surface, with a broad line in 

 the center. 



" 'About this time a change will begin, but 

 very slowly to be seen. The central teeth will 

 not only be worn down on their edges, but the 

 whole of the tooth will appear diminished. A 

 kind of absorption will have commenced. There 

 will be a little but increasing space between 

 the teeth. The face of the tooth will likewise 

 be altered, the inner edge will be 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. Our cut 

 gives a representation of the two central in- 

 cisors at eight months. (See Fig. 5.) The 

 central teeth are now not above half the size 

 of the next pair, and they are evidently les- 

 sened. At eleven months the process of dimi- 

 nution will have extended to the four central 

 teeth in the manner represented in the cut. 

 (See Fig. 6.) The vacuities between them will 

 now be evident enough. Cut (Fig. 8) gives the 

 mouth of a steer fifteen months old. Cut (Fig. 

 9) gives the curious and diminutive appear- 

 ance of all the incisors in a bullock eighteen 

 months old. It would appear 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 many disorders from 

 seven to eight months upwards, and are so 

 often out of condition. Thev contrive, however, 



1220 

 FIG. 17. MOUTH OF "CANADIAN CHAMPION." 



to make up for this temporary disadvantage by 

 diligence in feeding, and, to allude for a 

 moment to another animal, we have known 

 many a not only broken-mouthed but toothless 

 ewe to 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, as the cut very plainly repre- 



