CHAPTER LXVII. 



FRENCH BREEDS. 



IT appears to us, when a comparison comes to be drawn between the merits of the German 

 and French breeds of dog, that priority will usually be awarded to the latter. The French 

 breeds certainly exceed the German ones in their numbers, though many of them, as will be 

 seen hereafter, are merely offshoots of some older variety which is still in existence. Our 

 neighbours across the Channel are also fortunate in the possession of at least three reliable 

 works relating to canine subjects, for the writings of the Count de Couteulx, M. H. de la 

 Blanchere, and Baron de Noirmont, are standard works which can be referred to without 

 hesitation by those anxious to read of French breeds of dogs. The work of the Count de 

 Couteulx is particularly interesting, and the graceful compliment which the author pays to 

 English breeders and English dogs will, we are sure, be appreciated by all our countrymen 

 who read his instructive writings. 



With reference to the number of French breeds, it may be mentioned that the Count de 

 Couteulx alludes to twelve different varieties, which were principally of the hound type, and 

 which appear to have been known for centuries up to the time of the Revolution. M. de la 

 Blanchere treats of no less than twenty varieties and sub-varieties of the canine race, which he 

 tabulates as follows, at the same time giving the best English equivalent he can for each 

 French designation : 



RACES FRAN9AISES. 

 Braque 



Chiens 

 d'Arret. 



Chiens 

 Con rants. 



Epagneul 



Griffon 



Canicbe ou Barbel 

 Dogue ou Matin 

 Levrier 



Griffons au poil rude. 



Braqueset Briquets. 



f Griffons Vende'ens. 

 ( Griffons de Bresse. 



Chiens Gris de St. Louis. 



Chiens Fauves des Dues de Brctagne. 



Chiens des Ardennes ou St. Hubert. 



Chiens Greffiers du Roi. 



Chiens Vende'ens. 



Chiens Poitevins. 



Chiens Normands. 



Chiens Gascons. 



Chiens Saintongeois. 



Chiens d'Artois. 



Bassets et Terriers, 



RACES ANGLAISES. 



Pointer. 



f Setter, Springer, Cocker, Clumber, 

 \ Retriever. 



Griffon. 



Poodle. 



Mastiff, Bulldog. 



Greyhound. 



Otterhound (Chien a Loutre). 

 Bloodhound (Vautrait). 

 i Staghounds (Equipage de Ccrf). 

 Foxhounds (Chiens a Rcnard). 

 Harrier (Chiens Jl Lievre). 

 Beagle (Briquet). 



(" Terrier. 



< Bull-terrier. 



( Scotch Terrier (Terrier Griffon). 



It is of course impossible to recognise the relationship which M. Blanchere claims for some 

 of the French breeds with our own, but his list is an interesting one, and it is the most perfect 

 table of the kind we have come across, and will be useful in assisting our readers to follow 

 our remarks upon the various breeds. Unfortunately, some of the varieties which appear in 



