102 



ing down of the upper tooth, becomes so apparent 

 as to be significant of the age. It is, how- 

 ever, not constantly present, and the tables conse- 

 quently become of the greater importance, as they 

 are always to be found. Those of the lateral 

 incisors begin to depart from their oval figure, and 

 those of the central nippers are growing decidedly 

 angular : the tushes may have the edges slightly 

 rounded, and the semi-circle which the tables 

 of the incisors formed when the animal was five 

 years old, may exhibit some inclination to change 

 in favour of the lineal arrangement that is in 

 many horses so prominently marked in old age. 

 This semi-circular arrangement of the incisors is 

 most conspicuous when the colt is rising five ; and 

 from that period gradually alters, till in very old 

 subjects the tables will occasionally be ranged al- 

 most in a straight line. The alteration which takes 

 place in this respect is, however, by no means 

 uniform, and though, consequently, no rule can be 

 absolutely laid down concerning it, yet, from the 

 known inclination of the teeth to assume a certain 

 figure, an inference can be drawn which, connected 

 v^^ith other signs, enables a pretty close opinion to 



