48 OF THE AGE OF HORNED CATTLE. 



incisors pushing up, and six dwindled ones remaining. At 

 three years old there are four of the old and four of the 

 new set ; but the older will seem to be almost hidden by 

 the others. When the beast is four years old, there will 

 be found six permanent broad incisors, and two shrunken 

 ones of the milk set, wdiich latter sometimes do not dis- 

 place themselves so readily, but, on the contrary, form a 

 species of wolves-teeth, and annoy the animal much, unless 

 they are extracted. It is at five years old that the animal 

 may be said to be full-mouthed ; for at this period, whether 

 it be steer or heifer, the eight incisors will be all up, though 

 they will not appear equally grown until six years old. 



The horns of cattle also yield indications of age thus : — 

 At three years the horns are smooth, and by the fourth 

 year, two small circles extending round the bases appear. 

 The growth of the horn impels this circle forward, and 

 another horny cylinder, similarly terminated, appears 

 annually as long as the animal lives. The horny ac- 

 cretion converts these circular extremities into annular 

 joints or horny rings ; and thus, by allowing three years 

 for the point of the horn, and an additional year for 

 each ring, the age is obtained. To frustrate this judg- 

 ment, it is not uncommon to shave or rasp the horns : 

 but the mouth, by the foregoing rules, will yield a just 

 indication. 



In sheep, also, the age is judged of by the teeth. The 

 second dentition commences between the first and second 

 year, but by the second year, the middle permanent incisors 

 of the under or posterior jaw (for they also have none 

 above) are up. At three years they have four of these 

 broad teeth, as they are called ; at four, six of them are 

 fully evolved ; and at five years, the two others are up, 

 which makes them full-moiithed. The sheep's teeth, as the 

 animal advances in years, becoming divested of their enamel, 

 blacken, shrink in volume, and, where circumstances occa- 

 sion these animals to be allowed to become very old, they 

 loosen, and prove almost useless. The teeth of goats 

 follow similar laws, and their age is indicated by the same 

 appearances. 



The horns of sheep "and of goats are not changed, but 



