He is, therefore, not so often used there as for smaller coverts, where his voice can throughout the hunt be heard, and thereby direct the shooters which post of vantage to take.

"As regards the coats of bassets d jambes torses, there are both rough, half-rough, and smooth-coated specimens; but the two latter predominate greatly. In fact, I have but rarely seen very rough bassets d jambes torses. I saw three once, in the Ardennes. They were very big hounds for bassets, and were used chiefly to drive wolves, roebuck, and wild boars. They were a poil dur with a vengeance, and, when 'riled,' their backs were up like bristles. Of course in these matters, the chasseurs breed their hounds accordingly to the ground they have to hunt over, and, accordingly, it will be found that in provinces of comparatively easy coverts, such as vineyards, small woods, furze fields, etc, smooth-coated or half-rough-coated bassets are in universal demand, In Brittany, Vendee, Alsace, Lorraine, Luxemburg, on the contrary, wherever the coverts are extensive and very rough, rougher-coated hounds are used; but poil durs are scarce, as far as diminutive hounds are concerned.

"Bassets d jambes demi-torses are simply crosses between bassets d jambes demi-torses and bassets a jambes droites. They are usually bigger than the former and smaller than the latter, although it must be borne in mind that there are several varieties of bassets d jambes droites, quite as small as the smallest with crooked legs. In short there are so many subdivisions in each breed that any classification must necessarily be general.

"The advantages claimed by the owners of bassets d jambes demi-torses are these: 1st, these hounds are almost as sure-nosed as the full-crooked breeds; 2nd, they run faster, and yet not fast enough to spoil shooting; 3rd, in a wood with moderate ditches, being bigger in body and higher on the leg than the full-crooked beagles, they can clear the ditches at a bound, whereas the full-jambes torses has to go down into them, and scramble up on the other side. In points they are pretty much like their congeners, but already the cross tells. The lips are shorter, the muzzle not so stout in proportion to general size; the ears are much shorter, the skull is less conical, the occiput being not so pronounced, the body is not so long, the stern is carried more horizontally, the feet are rounder, the wrinkles in the face are fewer, the eye is smaller, and the coat, as a rule, is coarser; the increase in size is also great. I have seen such reaching to fully sixteen inches, and I believe they had been obtained by a direct cross from a regular chien courant (hound) with a full basset a jambes torses.

When sire and dam are both good, there is no reason why the progeny should not answer the breeder's purpose, but I confess to a tendency for either one thing or another, and were I to go in for fancy for that breed of hounds I would certainly get either a thoroughly crooked basset or a thoroughly straight-on-his-pins beagle. By the way, a black and tan or a red basset a jambes torses cannot by any possible use of one's eyes be distinguished from a dachshund of the some colour although some German writers assert that the breeds are quite distinct. To the naked eye there is no difference, but in the matter of names (wherein German scientists particularly shine) then, indeed, confusion gets worse confounded. They have, say, a dozen black and tan bassets a jambes torses before them. Well, if one of them is a thorough good looking hound, they call him dachs bracken; if he is short-eared, and with a pointed muzzle, they cap him with the appellation of a dachshund. Between you and I, kind reader, it is a distinction without a difference, and there is no doubt that both belong to the same breed.

I will, at a fortnight's notice, place a basset a jambes torses, small size, side by sid6 with the best dachshund hound to be found, and if any difference in legs, anatomy, and general appearance of the two can be detected, I shall be very greatly surprised. That the longer-eared and squarer-muzzled hound is the better of the two for practical work there is not the shadow of a doubt; but, of course, if digging badgers is the sport in view, then the dachshund terrier is the proper article. But that is not to be admitted. One cannot breed hounds from terriers, whereas one can breed terriers from hounds, and therefore the dachshund terrier is descended from the basset a jambes torses. As for dachshund hounds, they are in every respect bassets a jambes torses; at least, that is the opinion I have come to after a great deal of experience. Quarreling about names is an unprofitable occupation. Never mind the ' bracken' or the ' hund,' since the two articles are alike. I say, from the evidence of my senses, that they must come from the same stock, and since they cannot come from a terrier pedigree, the hound one is the only logical solution.

"The basset & jambes droites is synonymous with our beagle; but, whereas our beagles rarely exceed 14in., it is not uncommon to see some bassets reaching even 16in. in France; but, it should be remembered that, then, even among the French, appellations will differ. Thus, a certain school will call 16in. bassets petits chiens courants, and will deny them the right of being called bassets, being, in their estimation, too high on the leg. I agree with them. The characteristics of bassets a jambes droites are: a somewhat shorter face than those with crooked legs; ears shorter, but broader, and very soft usually; neck, a shade longer; stern carried straight up; good loins; shorter bodies, very level from shoulder to rump. Whereas the other two breeds are invariably a shade lower at shoulder than at the stern. Some show the os occipitis well marked; others are more apple-headed; the hair is coarse on the stern, the feet are straight and compact, knees well placed, thighs muscular and well proportioned; in short, they are an elegant looking, dashing, and rather taking breed as a lot. But in work there is a world of difference.