by its large size, its robust form, its large head, its long, flat
ears, its square muzzle separated from the forehead by a deep
depression, its large nose, often double (that is to say, with
nostrils separated by a deep vertical groove), its pendent lips, its
thick neck, its long and strong paws provided with dew claws, both on
the fore and the hind feet, and its short hair, which is usually white
and marked with brown or orange-yellow spots. The old brach breed has
been modified by the breeders of different countries, either by
hygiene or by crossing with ordinary dogs, according to the manner of
hunting, according to taste, and even according to fashion. Thus in
England, where "time is money" reigns in every thing and where they
like to hunt quickly and not leisurely, the brach has been rendered
lighter and swifter of foot and has become the pointer. In France,
while it has lost a little in size and weight, it has preserved its
moderate gait and has continued to hunt near its master, "under the
gun," as they say. The same is the case in Spain, Italy and Germany
even. In France there are several varieties or sub-breeds of brach
hounds. The old French brach, which is nothing more than the old type,
preserved especially in the south, where it is called the Charles the
Tenth brach, is about twenty-four inches in height, and has a white
and a maroon coat, which is somewhat coarse. It often has a cleft nose
and dew-claws on all the feet. The brach of the south scarcely differs
from the preceding except in color. Its coat has a white ground
covered with pale orange blotches and spots of the same color. The St.
Germain brach is finer bred, and appears to be a pointer introduced
into France in the time of Charles X. It has a very fine skin, very
fine hair of a white and orange color. The Bourbon brach has the
characters of the old French brach, with a white coat marked here and
there with large brown blotches, and the white ground spotted with the
same color; but what particularly characterizes this dog is that it is