A METHUSELAH. 31 



infirmity, in the disguising of which he most excels. 

 The clever "bishoping coper" is always on the look- 

 out for what he calls a " Methuselah," and the grand 

 finishing-stroke to his particular calling is to conceal 

 the ravages of age. The horse is selected as fresh on 

 the legs as possible in fact, as young in his appearance 

 as the best of old horses can be, 



Most of my readers who may be interested in the 

 perusal of these . chapters, will probably have read the 

 works of Youatt and others on the horse, in the pages 

 of which are described the progress of dentition, and 

 the appearance of the horse's teeth at various stages, 

 from foalhood to maturity; and as, in my contributions, 

 I always make it a rule to confine my observations 

 within the pale of my own practical experience, or that 

 of others, which I know has never been served up to 

 the public in a readable form, I shall content myself by 

 informing those who are inexperienced in horse-flesh, 

 that at eight years old the black marks on the upper 

 surface of the incisors (front teeth), which appear at 

 an early age, and disappear as time progresses, are ob- 

 literated, and it is for the imitation of these marks, so 

 as'to resemble their natural appearance at five years 

 old (the age at which horses reach maturity), or some 

 other age corresponding with the general appearance of 

 the horse, that the skill of the " bishoper " is practised. 

 At eight years old, the canine teeth (tushes) are also 

 considerably worn and blunt, and the whole teeth are 

 of a dirty yellow colour. Very old horses may be dis- 



