352 OUR HUMBLE HELPERS 



"All that is correct. And the animal's age?" 

 "It must be four years old. At three the second 

 set of central incisors has grown, and now at four 

 come the incisors next to them. ' ' 



"Your opinion is mine too : the horse is four years 



old. Now it is 

 Emile's turn. I 

 will ask him to 

 examine this 

 third picture of 



Teeth of a Five- Year-Old Horse ft horse s j aw? 



and I hope he will show his usual perspicacity." 



' * These teeth, ' ' said Emile after some study, ' * are 

 too large to be milk teeth. All six belong to the sec- 

 ond set, and as the newest are the outside incisors 

 the animal must be a year older than the preceding 

 one ; that is to say, five years. ' ' 



' * Very good, Emile, ' ' applauded his uncle. ' l You 

 have handled the case like a master. At five years 

 the entire second set of incisors has pushed 

 through and it 

 is too late to 

 learn anything 

 by comparing 

 teeth of first 

 and second 

 sets ; hence- 

 forth the de- Teeth of a Six- Year-Old Horse 



gree of wear in the different incisors is our sole 

 guide. Thus at six years the coronal pit in the cen- 

 tral incisors has entirely disappeared, while it is still 



