of the Animals of the Farm. 
421 
animal is two years and a half old ; but if he is required 
to certify that the age is under or above that period, he must 
proceed to inspect the molar teeth, and take into account the 
animal's pedigree, its sex, and its general condition of develop- 
ment. 
If the animal in question is a bull of one of the cultivated 
breeds, and has been forced to a state of early maturity, it may 
be expected that the second pair of permanent incisors will be 
cut at two years and four months ; and if either of the anterior 
temporary molars remain in their places, the conclusion that the 
animal is under two years and a half will be strengthened. 
Shortly after the first and second molars are cut, the third 
makes its appearance ; occasionally it appears before the others, 
and the animal at the age of three years will have the three 
anterior molars nearly level with the other teeth, but showing 
no signs of wear. 
The following illustration (Fig. 31) exhibits the three recently 
cut anterior molars as they appear when the ox is verging on 
three years of age. 
Fig. 31. — Molars of Ox at three years. 
The eruption of the third pair of permanent incisors may 
occur at any time between two years and six months and three 
years of age. In cultivated breeds they are present, as a rule, 
before the animal is three years old, and occasionally they will 
be found well developed after two years and a half. In fact, 
the anterior molars afford more reliable evidence of the age 
between two and a half and three years old than is furnished 
bv the incisors. 
