49 8 



THE BOOK OF THE Doc. 



said the king, " for having mentioned the wisest woman ; you should have said the least foolish ; 

 for a wise woman there is not such a thing in the world." 



This dog, Souillard, subsequently came into the possession of the Seneschal of Normandy, 

 and became the fountain head of the Greffiers du Roi, as will be seen in the chapter on that 

 breed. 



The smooth Vendeens (poll ras) should show breeding and quality in their heads. 



The Ears should be long and pendent, and thin. 



The Cliest deep, and shoulders sloping slightly. 



The Legs strong and hound-like. 



The Loins powerful and deep. 



The Stern rather coarse and houndy. 



The Coat short and fine. 



In temperament they are rather hot and quarrelsome, but lively and companionable. Their 

 constitutions are delicate, rendering them short-lived, and they give tongue less than other breeds 



VENDEN HOUND (GRIFFON). 



of French Hounds. There are still some good packs of Vende'en Hounds (poil ras) to be met 

 with in France, amongst the most famous of which are those of M. Baudry d'Asson, Fonteclose, 

 pres la Garnache (Vendee) ; M. Bailly du Pont, a la Chataigneraie (Vendee) ; and M. J. de 

 Lacharme, a Matoir (Saone-et-Loire). 



T/te rough-coated Vend&n or Griffon is considered to be in all probability a cross between 

 the Chien Bresse (treated of later) and the smooth Vend^en, which has been subsequently 

 again crossed with the Chien Gris, or grey dog, and the fawn dogs of Brittany. 



From the Chien Bresse the Griffon gets its nose and heavy dewlap, but his general 

 appearance is rather commoned by the cross. From the Chien Gris, or Grey Dog, he takes 

 his short loins, and his strength and stamina, and the mouse-grey ticks, which, in certain 

 kennels of first-rate Griffons, used to be regarded as proofs of the highest lineage, and were 

 eagerly prized. From the fawn dog of Brittany the Vende'en Griffon has derived the golden- 

 wheaten tints, the peculiarity of certain hard-coated Vendeens, the origin of which is hard to 

 discern. The colour is lemon-wheaten and white, grey or mouse-grey. He is of fair size, 

 very powerful, sound in constitution, with good loins, and with powerful quarters, feet compact 

 and hound-like. He is much sought after for hunting wolf and wild boar. Like the smooth 

 dog, and perhaps more than him, he is headstrong and difficult to control, and this is a great 

 fault which tells against him. There were, at one time, some gigantic Griffons to be found, 

 but they were rarely met with, and their purity was doubtful. 



