294 HARE-HUNTING AND HARRIERS 



driving it to the guns posted in various positions. 

 In the Ardennes, a bigger breed seems to have been 

 used for driving wolves, boar, and roe ; this is the 

 rough-coated kind, previously referred to. But in 

 various districts this useful hound was, and is, em- 

 ployed for aU kinds of sport, including badger, vermin, 

 and even truffles. A good truffle-hound is, of course, 

 a real treasure. The basset is a most courageous 

 beast and takes readily to the chase of wolf, which 

 ordinary hounds are said to be not very keen about. 

 It is even stated that a well-bred basset will hunt a 

 wolf single-handed, which, considering his inferior size, 

 must be taken as evidence of very high mettle. 



When these hounds were first used for hunting 

 hare in this country, it was quickly discovered that, 

 although they had wonderful noses and were infinitely 

 persevering, they had certain drawbacks which re- 

 quired correction. They are inclined, as I have 

 shown, to dweU too much on the line, and are some- 

 what too independent, and they are rather easily 

 frightened by the whip. Still, within the last ten 

 years they have shown excellent sport. I find, from 

 my " Field " lists of hounds, that in 1895-96 three 

 packs of bassets were hunting, viz., the Walhampton, 

 the Wintershill, and the Wolvercote. In the next 

 season there were four, viz.. The Walhampton, the 

 Wintershill, the Delapre, and Mr. Moss's. In 1897-98 

 the Wintershill dropped out, and the Highworth 

 were added to the other packs. In 1898-99 three 

 packs remained hunting — the Walhampton, the Delapre, 

 and the Highworth. In 1899-1900 the Walhampton 

 apparently held the field alone, to be joined in 1900-01 

 by the Stoodleigh and the Knowlton. 1901-02 

 saw two packs again hunting — the ever-faithful 

 Walhampton and Mr. E. H. M. Denny's, the latter 



