of the Animals of the Farm. 
437 
indications of the age afforded by the teeth after this period, ex- 
cepting such as depend on the growth and wear of the organs. „ 
In the next illustration (Fig. 50) the sixth molar is shown 
as it appears at the completion of the age of eighteen months. 
Fig. 50. — Molars of Pig at eighteen months. 
It is very important that the examiner should exercise the 
greatest circumspection in the inspection of the teeth of pigs 
which are exhibited in the class above twelve and not exceeding 
eighteen months old. Animals are entered at various ages from 
twelve to eighteen months ; it is necessary therefore in this class 
to note the condition of the central incisors and the anterior 
molars, as well as that of the lateral incisors and the sixth molar. 
In the next drawing (Fig. 51, p. 438) the full development of 
the lateral permanent incisors is shown. This state of dentition, 
it may be remarked, is indicative of a year and eight months. 
At the age of two years the lateral permanent incisors are 
quite level with the centrals and are worn on their edges, the 
sixth molar now stands quite free from contact with the angle 
of the jaw, and indications of wear may be observed on the 
upper surfaces of the other molars. After the pig has attained 
the age of two years, an opinion as to the age must be to a great 
extent speculative. The wear which the teeth undergo, and 
the darkening of their colour, and the growth of the tusks, will 
afford some evidence which will assist the judgment ; but there 
are no changes which can be referred to as indicative of the 
exact age of the pig after the lateral incisors and the sixth 
molars are fully developed. 
In the course of the above remarks on the changes which 
occur in the teeth of the pig at different ages, certain exceptions 
to the rule of development have been mentioned ; they are not 
numerous, nor very important in their bearings, and it is par- 
ticularly worthy of notice that the exceptions are nearly always 
in favour of the exhibitor, being in the direction of retarded 
rather than accelerated development. 
