FIVE YEARS OLD 123 



ternally, is a rounded prominence, with a groove on 

 either side. 



At five years of age the mouth is perfect. The 

 corner nippers are quite up^ with the long deep mark 

 irregular on the inside, and the other nippers bear 

 evident tokens of increased wear. The tusk is much 

 grown, the grooves have almost disappeared, and the 

 outer surface is regularly convex, but inside it is still 

 concave, and the edge is nearly as sharp as it was six 

 months previously. The sixth molar is quite up, and 

 the third molar is wanting. This condition of the 

 mouth is a sufficient guide to prevent the substitution 

 of a late four-year-old for a five being successful, 

 especially if the general appearance of the animal, the 

 wearing of the centre nippers, and the growth and 

 shape of the tushes receive due consideration. The 

 nippers may be forced up a few months before their 

 time and the tushes a few weeks, but the grinders are 

 not so easily displaced. The tushes and the three last 

 grinders are never shed. 



At six years old the mark in the central nippers is 

 worn out, though there will still be a difference of 

 colour in the centre of the tooth, the hollow caused by 

 the dipping in of the enamel presenting a browner line 

 than the other part of the tooth, and there will remain 

 a slight depression round this casing of enamel, but 

 the deep hole which previously existed in the centre 

 of the teeth, with the blackened surface it presented 

 and the raised wall of enamel, will have altogether 

 disappeared. 



Persons ignorant of such matters have been sorely 

 puzzled at this. They expected to find a plain surface 

 of a uniform colour, and do not know what conclusion 



