72 , DOMESTICATED DOGS. 
at fault, and a throat full of deep melodious music, is better than a 
lame or broken-legged terrier for the purpose. If the full-crooked 
be found slow, the demi-torse will prove to have plenty of pace. 
They are capital to shoot any sort of fur to, hares, rabbits, deer, 
roebuck, &c. Two or three are sent into a covert, and the guns 
take their positions according to the runs, or where the music 
directs them. ‘They are very clever at “ringing” out the game, 
and in small woods they drive the quarry about so slowly that 
one has plenty of time to get ahead and shoot it in a crossing. 
Deer and hares will actually play before the little hounds, stopping 
to listen to them coming. Though ground game is their special 
occupation, yet they are also employed to put up birds, pheasants, 
&c. They are chiefly used with the gun abroad, but there are 
several packs which hunt, like our beagles, rabbits, hares, &c. 
They usually kill a hare in two or three hours. 
The extent of “crook” and the respective merits of “ torse” 
and “demi-torse ” have excited some attention amongst breeders. 
As the result of my inquiries made of French sportsmen on 1 this 
subject, it can be taken that both are equally pure, both shapes of 
fore-legs occurring in the same litter, and buyers must choose 
whichever best suits their sport. In the show ring, with two dogs of 
equal merit in all other points, I should decide in favour of the full- 
crooked, as being harder to breed, more in keeping with the bizarre 
appearance of the dog, and because the bloodhound character is 
usually more conspicuous in the torse, though I have seen full- 
crooked specimens without bloodhound type, and _half-crocked 
with it. The following is the value of the points :— 
Points oF THE Basset-Hounp. 
VALUE VALUE 
Head, skull, eyes, muzzle, Back, loins, and hind-quarters, 10 
and flews, ‘3 r 15 Stern, ‘ : « 5 
Ears, . 85 Coat and skin, .  . 10 
Neck, dewlap, chest, and Colour and markings, 15 
shoulders, ‘ 2 - Io “Basset charatter” and sym- 
Forelegs and feet, . . 15 metry, Z 
5 45 
Grand total 2 SY : : . 100 
