THE AOE. 75 



pasture, lose tlie mark niiicli sooner tlian those 

 in the stable. The reason is, that the front 

 teeth have little or nothing to do in stahle-feed* 

 ing; while the horse is out, they have all the 

 grass to cut, and that often so rough and sandy, 

 as to wear the teeth veiy fast. The purchaser 

 may bear this in mind, and make allowance for 

 it. 



Before quitting the teeth, I must take notice 

 of a rascally trick sometimes played by some of 

 our /iofiest dealers. It is called " Bishopping,*' 

 from Bishop being the name of the ingenious 

 inventor. It consists in making an artificial 

 mark, after the natural one is worn out ; and is 

 done by scooping a piece out of the surface of 

 the tooth with an instrument made for the pur- 

 pose, and then blackening the cavity with a hot 

 iron, or instead, a clumsy job is sometimes made 

 of it by using lunar caustic. Commonly only 

 the comer teeth of an eight years' old mouth are 

 thus operated upon ; and then the horse is 

 *« warranted sound, and only seven years old." 

 Sometimes the next corner teeth are likewise 

 bored and burned, to make a six year old ; and 

 indeed, I have seen all six equally well bishop- 

 ped : when the shape and length of the teeth 



