70 ON AGE AND APPEARANCE. 



tooth than the cavity within it. It may therefore be seen 

 in the centre of the face for some years after the disappear- 

 ance of the mark. 



Mr. Armatage says : " The funnels in the upper incisor 

 teeth being deeper, and the wear "being less than in the 

 under teeth, the marks aro longer disappearing. It has 

 been stated that there aro two years' space between the 

 disappearance of the marks in the different teeth; the mid- 

 dle teeth losing at ten, the dividers at twelve, and the 

 corners at fourteen ; but this is a matter of much irregular- 

 ity and uncertainty. Their presence and disappearance 

 will, however, serve to assist the other signs in informing 

 us of the age." 



The following are the changes by which we judge of the 

 age of a horse. It is unnecessary to notice the molar teeth, 

 as they cannot be readily examined, nor the upper incisors, 

 as their changes are very uncertain : 



AT BIRTH, the nippers only have made their appearance. 



AT ONE YEAR OLD, the nippers and dividers are very 

 plain and visible ; the corners aro also visible, having last 

 appeared. 



AT TWO YEARS OLD, the nippers have lost their marks, 

 and both edges of the corners are level. 



AT THREE YEARS OLD, and several months before, the 

 permanent nippers have made their appearance. 



AT FOUR YEARS OLD, the permanent dividers appear, 

 and the cavity has nearly disappeared in the temporary 

 corners. 



AT FIVE YEARS OLD, the mouth is said to be perfect, and, 

 if a male, the tushes are up ; the permanent corner teeth 

 have appeared, but the posterior border of the cavity is 

 much lower than the anterior, and the mark is much di- 

 minished in the nippers. 



