HUNTING DIRECTORY. 53 



Dog's Age. 



two eye-lids are not merely glued together, but shut up 

 with a membrane, which is torn off as soon as the muscles 

 of the upper eye-lids acquire sufficient strength to over- 

 come this obstacle to vision, which generally happens 

 about the tenth day. At this period the young annuals 

 are extremely clumsy and awkward. The bones of the 

 head are not completed ; the body and muzzle are bloated, 

 and the whole figure appears ill-designed. Their growth, 

 however, is rapid ; and in about six weeks they acquire 

 the use of all their senses. When four months old, they 

 lose their teeth, which are quickly replaced, and are 

 never afterwards changed. 



A dog's age may be tolerably well ascertained by the 

 appearance of his teeth. A young dog's teeth generally 

 look clean and white ; — at an early period of his existence, 

 his front teeth are serrated, and as he increases in age, 

 this saw-like appearance gradually wears out. At four 

 years old, or perhaps sooner, it is no longer observable : 

 the teeth turn yellow, ftide, and drop out as the animal 

 grows old ; and if he be fed principally on bones, his 

 teeth become short and blunt at an early period. A dog, 

 if worked hard, will turn grey at eight or nine years of 

 age, and exhibit every symptom of decay — such as bad 

 sight, loss of hearing, &c. Fourteen years is the general 

 period allotted for the life of a dog ; but if he be kept to 

 hard labour each season, he will seldom live so long. 



