OF THE WELSH. 259 



the Ikin. A bitch was excepted, uillefs It could be 

 proved that fhe was pregnant by a dog that had be- 

 fore won a fkin. 



Every perfon who carried a horn, was to be fo 

 far acquainted with his purfult, as to be able, 

 whenever he was called upon, to give a icientlfic 

 account of the nine preceding objedts of the c'hace. 

 All perfons unable to do this, were confidered only 

 as pretenders to the fcience, and, confequently, 

 whenever fuch were difcovered, they forfeited their 

 horns. 



The king had the power of hunting wherever he 

 pleafed within his own dominions. If, however, an 

 animal was purfued and killed on any gentleman's 

 eftate, and not followed and claimed by the huntf- 

 man the fame night, the owner of the land might 

 convert it to his own ufe ; but he was under a ftricl 

 injundion to take good care of the dogs, and to 

 preferve the f^in. 



A flag at this period was efteemed equal in value 

 to an ox ; a hind to a well-grown cow ; a roe to a 

 goat ; and a wild fow to a tame one. Wolves, 

 foxes, and fome other noxious animals, had no value, 

 and any perfon was allowed to kill them. The hare 

 had no value ; and for this fuigular reafon, becaufe 

 if was believed every other m.onth to change its fex : 

 the fame was the cafe with the badger, becaufe in 

 fome years it had a difeafe which the Weifh called 

 the meafles. 



s 2 This 



