288 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



Defects: Upright shoulders and a disproportionately 

 wide chest. 



Back, loin, and ribs. Back short, muscular, and strong. 

 Loin broad and slightly arched, and the ribs well sprung, 

 giving abundant lung-room. 



Defects: A long or swayed back, a fiat, narrow loin, or 

 a flat, constricted rib. 



Fore legs and feet. Fore legs straight, with plenty of 

 bone. Feet close, iirm, and either round or hare-like in 

 form. 



Defects: Out at elbows. Knees knuckled over or for- 

 ward, or bent backward. Feet open and spreading. 



Hips, thighs, hind legs, and feet. Hips strongly mus- 

 cled, giving abundant propelling power. Stifles strong and 

 well let down. Hocks firm, symmetrical, and moderately 

 bent. Feet close and firm. 



Defects: Cow-hocks and open feet. 



Tail. The tail should be carried gaily, well up, and with 

 medium curve, rather short as compared with the size of 

 the dog, and clothed with a decided brush. 



Defects: A long tail, with a tea-pot curve. 



Disqualifications: A thinly haired, rattish tail, with 

 entire absence of brush. 



Coat. Moderately coarse iii texture, and of good length. 



Disqualifications: A short, close, and nappy coat. 



Height. The meaning of the term "Beagle" (a word of 

 Celtic origin, and in old English Begele), is small, little. 

 The dog was so named from his diminutive size. Your 

 committee, therefore, for the sake of consistency, and that 

 the Beagle shall be in fact what his name implies, strongly 

 recommend that the height line shall be sharply drawn at 

 fifteen inches, and that all dogs exceeding that height shall 

 be disqualified as overgrown and outside the pale of recog- 

 nition. 



Color. All Hound colors are admissible. Perhaps the 

 most popular is black, white, and tan. Next in order is 

 the lemon and white, the blue and lemon mottles; then fol- 

 low the solid colors, such as black- and- tan, tan, lemon, 



