292 HARE-HUNTING AND HARRIERS 



own, as well as a place in the Kennel Club Stud Book. 

 Since that time, the march of the basset has, among 

 connoisseurs who can afford the luxury of a new and 

 somewhat expensive fashion, been a triumphant one. 

 In 1883 there were but ten entries of these hounds in 

 the Kennel Club Stud Book, In 1896 there were no less 

 than ninety bassets entered at the Kennel Club Show. 



Yet, although the basset has thus achieved a 

 not inconsiderable triumph in a comparatively short 

 period, he is still a somewhat scarce commodity, caviare 

 to the general public. A certain number have seen 

 him on the show benches, or walking abroad with his 

 master ; few have watched him at work in the hunting- 

 field. In appearance, the basset hound looks somewhat 

 like a handsome foxhound — with long ears, deepish 

 flews, and a somewhat old-fashioned type of head — set 

 on extremely squat legs, the fore-legs, especially, being 

 much bent inwards. As to the conformation of the legs, 

 they give, at first, the impression of this hound having 

 some kinship with dachshunds and the old English 

 turnspit. But, as a matter of fact, they are totally 

 distinct. The dachshund is a terrier, while the basset 

 is a pure hound of very ancient descent. 



How long he has been bred in his present state it 

 is impossible to say with anything like precision. 

 By some authorities the basset, as found in France 

 and Belgium, is placed in three classes : 



1. Bassets a jamhes droites (or straight-legged bassets). 



2. Bassets a jamhes demi-torses (with fore-legs half 

 crooked). 



3. Bassets d jamhes torses (with fore-legs wholly 

 crooked). 



To these, again, three variations of coat are assigned, 

 smooth, rough, and half-rough. The rough-coated 

 variety is, by the way, known as the Griffon-basset. 



