THE BASSET-HOUND 207 



appearance of the two can be detected, I shall be very greatly 

 surprised. That the longer-eared and squarer-muzzled hound is 

 the better of the two for practical work there is not the shadow 

 of a doubt ; but, of course, if digging badgers is the sport in view, 

 then the Dachshund Terrier is the proper article. But that is not 

 to be admitted. One cannot breed Hounds from Terriers, whereas 

 one can breed Terriers from Hounds, and therefore the Dachshund 

 Terrier is descended from the Basset a jambes torses. As for 

 Dachshund hounds, they are, in every respect, Basset a jambes torses ; 

 at least, that is the opinion I have come to after a great deal of 

 experience. Quarrelling about names is an unprofitable occupation. 

 Never rnind the * Bracken ' or the ' Hund,' since the two articles 

 are alike. I say, from the evidence of my senses, that they must 

 come from the same stock, and, since they cannot come from a 

 Terrier pedigree, the Hound one is the only logical solution. 



The Basset a jambes droites is synonymous with our Beagle ; 

 but, whereas our Beagles rarely exceed i4i'n., it is not uncommon to 

 see some Bassets reaching even i6in. in France; still, it should be 

 remembered that then, even among the French, appellations will 

 differ. Thus, a certain school will call i6in. Bassets petits chiens 

 courants, and will deny them the right of being called Bassets, 

 being, in their estimation, too high on the leg. I agree with them. 

 The characteristics of Bassets a jambes droites are a somewhat 

 shorter face than those with crooked legs ; ears shorter, but broader, 

 and very soft usually ; neck a shade longer ; stern carried straight 

 up; good loins; shorter bodies, very level from shoulder to rump : 

 whereas the other two breeds are invariably a shade lower at 

 shoulder than at the stern. Some show the os occipitis well marked ; 

 others are more apple-headed ; the hair is coarse on the stern ; the 

 feet are straight and compact, knees well placed, thighs muscular 

 and well proportioned; in short, they are an elegant-looking, 

 dashing, and rather taking breed as a lot. But in work there is a 

 world of difference. The crooked-legged ones go slow and sure ; 

 the straight-legged ones run into the defect of fast hounds i.e. they 

 go too fast occasionally for their noses ; they are not, either, quite so 

 free from riot ; but wherever pretty fast work is required, and when 

 the covert requires some doing in the way of jumping drains and 

 scrambling over boulders, etc., then they will carry the day. They 

 are chiefly used for large game, in pretty large coverts, and run in 

 small packs. For fast fun, exercise, and music, they will do ; but 

 for actual shooting, commend me to the Basset a jambes torses. 

 With such a little hound, if he knows you and understands your 

 ways, you are bound to bag, and alone he will do the work of ten 

 ordinary hounds ; and, in truth, there are few things more exciting 

 to the sportsman than to hear his lonely, crooked-legged companion, 

 merrily, slowly, but surely, bringing his quarry to his gun. Some of 



