88 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



the three temporary molars being afterwards replaced by three 

 permanent molars, is called the fourth molar. At nine months 

 the second permanent molar appears behind the first. This is 

 called the fifth molar. At eighteen months the sixth and rearmost 

 permanent molar is cut, and soon after this the first two temporary 

 molars are replaced by two permanent molars, and the third molar 

 is reduced to a shell covering the top of the permanent tooth : 

 before two years the latter will have come through, but will not 

 yet be level with the others. When this tooth becomes level with 

 the others the sheep is over two years. The dentition of the molars 

 is more regular than that of the incisors, so where absolute accuracy 

 is required they afford the best evidence of the age. 



Nomenclature. The names by which sheep are known vary 

 much in accordance with the locality. In the South of England, 

 where sheep are now brought to the butcher when very young, 

 the terms used to distinguish older sheep are becoming more or 

 less obsolete ; but in Scotland and in hill districts generally, where 

 the feeding is not so much forced, the distinguishing terms are 

 still required as much as ever. When first born the term lamb is 

 universally used, the mother and lamb being collectively called 

 a couple ; if twin lambs, double couples. From weaning to first 

 shearing they are called hoggs or tegs, tegs being a corruption of the 

 word tags, as before the wool is clipped the locks taper to a point 

 or tag ; when once the wool is clipped the locks show a blunt end. 

 In the South-Eastern counties there is an exception, the shearlings 

 being sometimes called tegs. The terms hoggets and hoggerels are 

 used in some localities. 



The males are distinguished by the prefix he and the females 

 she, though the males are sometimes called wether tegs. If the 

 male lamb is not castrated he is called a ram lamb until he is shorn, 

 when he becomes a shearling or two-tooth ram, and afterwards he 

 is called two-shear or three-shear as each year goes by. A ram 

 showing one testicle is called a rig. When the castrated male 

 lambs are first shorn they are called wethers, shear hoggs (sometimes 

 pronounced sharrig), or wether hoggs. In the South few are kept 

 longer than as shear hoggs, but mountain sheep are kept on as three- 

 tooth wethers and four-tooth wethers. Female sheep are called 

 theaves, gimmers, chilver, or two-tooths at the first shearing. After 

 that, as they are usually used for breeding, the terms two-shear 

 and three-shear, or four-tooth, six-tooth, and full-mouthed are em- 

 ployed in accordance with their age. A ewe which does not breed 

 is called guest or eild ; when not in milk a yeld ewe ; when with- 

 drawn from the flock a draft ewe. The breeding ewes are called 

 stock ewes. Other terms are occasionally used by breeders of and 

 dealers in sheep, but those given are most often applied. 



