4. The teeth more frequently contradict an arbi- 

 trary calculation than disagree with fact. The 

 mouth declares only the positive age, reckoned from 

 the actual day of birth, and I know of no evidence 

 of a similar description which may be more con- 

 fidently trusted. Occasional exceptions are to be 

 found, and of these notice will be hereafter taken ; 

 such exceptions, however, are not sufficiently fre- 

 quent to upset the rule, and were the testimony of 

 the teeth to be rejected, I know of no other that 

 could be substituted. We are therefore necessitated 

 to retain tlie test, and consequently should know how 

 to apply it. Almost every one within or about the 

 stable pretends to be able to do this, but some even 

 of those who have studied the subject are not capable 

 of doing it correctly. The evidence is often true when 

 the judgment is false, and in this circumstance, per- 

 haps, lies the chief danger of the test. A knowledge 

 of the teeth is by no means universal ; but where that 

 knowledge is profound, though the test may seldom 

 disappoint, yet because it will occasionally do so, the 

 indications of the mouth ought to be corroborated. 

 To proceed summarily (as in the case of the Queen 

 of Cyprus) upon an inspection of the teeth, is cer- 



