of the Animals of the Farm, 



55 



referred to for the purpose of solving any doubt which may 

 arise in consequence of the absence of the pre-raolars. 



Disqualification of a pig or pigs entered as not exceeding 

 six months would occur under such circumstances as the follow- 

 ing. The inspector, it may be supposed, is examining the 

 teeth of a pig which is entered as five months and two days ; 

 he adds the weeks which have elapsed since the date up to 

 which the age is calculated, and deals with the animal as 

 having arrived at the age of six months and nine days. At 

 this period he expects to find the pre-molars and the fourth 

 molar well up, the fourth molar being close to the angle of the 

 jaw, and scarcely free from the covering of gum at the extreme 

 posterior part. But if the fourth molar stands out from the 

 ano-le of the jaw. leaving space behind it, and if he observes 

 in addition that the temporary corners have been changed for 

 permanents, he does not hesitate to assert that the pig is at 

 least a month older than it is certified to be. In some pigs 

 the corner permanents are found with their points through 

 the gum at seven montJts, but in many cases the temporary organs 

 remain till the animal has reached the age of eight months. 



Disqualifications in the six-month-old class are often very 

 numerous ; the pigs are shown as close to the age as possible, 

 and the frequent presence of the corner teeth in pigs belonging 

 to certain exhibitors is the cause of the animals being rejected. 





oo. — Molars of Pia at nine months. 



At nine months the corner permanent teeth are well up, and 

 the permanent tusks may be through the gum in very forward 

 animals at this age. In looking over the notes of the inspec- 

 tions which have been made for many years past, it is shown 

 that, as a rule, the pig at the age of nine months has one or two 

 of the temporary tusks still in position ; in fact, the presence of 

 well-developed permanent tusks in a pig entered as not exceeding 



