ANATOMY. 



16 



The figures here given show the appearance of the mid- 

 dle pair of the front teeth at the age of IVa years, at which 

 age the English courts have decided that the lamb becomes 

 a sheep. 



TABLE OF DENTITION OF THE SHEEP. 



ERUPTION. REPLACEMENT. 



FRONT TEETH OR INCISORS. 

 Before or soon after birth ...................... 1%, years 



The same ....................................... 2y z 



14 days ........................ : ................. 31/2 



2 to 3 weeks ..................................... 4*4 



MOLAR OR DOUBLE TEETH. 

 Before or a few days after birth ............... \y z 



The same ....................................... 2y z 



The same ....................................... 3% 



6 to 9 months. 2y 2 years. 4 to 5 years. 



After the fifth year a sheep is 

 known as to its age by the full 

 mouth, and as the age increases by 

 the wearing of the teeth. But this 

 is not altogether a sure guide, for 

 a flock pasturing on a poor pasture 

 or sendy soil will so quickly wear 

 down its cutting teeth that they will 

 appear to be so blunt as to indicate 

 a much greater age. This is to be 

 taken into account, and the general 

 appearance, as will be described 

 hereafter, in other respects must all 

 be taken into account. This, how- 

 ever, is not of much account prac- 

 tically. for except it be some favor- 

 ite and prolific ewe, it is rarely that 

 a sheep is kept so long that its age 

 is any reason for despising it. It is 

 well, however, that the shepherd 

 and especially purchasers of sheep 

 should be able to ascertain the age 

 up to the point, of maturity. The 

 author has kept some ewes until the 

 age of thirteen years, having twins 

 every year after the second, and 

 never found any indication of in- 

 ability to feed as well as a young 

 sheep. What the full age of a 





