APPENDIX. 185 



portance in the case, are rarely cross-examined. This is 

 reserved in its most stringent form for those whose facts and 

 opinions are likely to affect the case. In dealing with a 

 skilled witness whose evidence may be of importance, the 

 questions in cross-exaniination are usually put by the counsel 

 for the defence with great caution, or the answers brought 

 out may be even more adverse to his own case than those 

 elicited in the examination-in-chief. 



Re-examination . 



The cross-examination is usually followed by a re-exami- 

 nation on the part of the counsel for the prosecution, or of 

 the counsel by whom the witness has been called. The 

 object of this is to clear up or explain any portion of the 

 evidence which may have been rendered obscure or doubtful 

 by the cross-examination. It is sometimes unnecessary to 

 put a question, and if the witness has given his evidence 

 consistently and fairly, no questions may be asked. As a 

 rule, the re-examination must be confined to those matters 

 which have arisen out of the cross-examination. Any ques- 

 tions upon new subjects may render a further cross-exami- 

 nation on them necessary. In reference to yh;^/j-, a veterinary 

 witness must bear in mind that he should not allow his 

 testimony to be influenced by the consequences which may 

 follow from his statement of them, or their probable effect 

 on any case which is under trial. In reference to opiniotis^ 

 when once formed should be honestly and candidly stated 

 without regard to consequences. It will be well to remember, 

 in reference to each stage of the examination, what a great 

 medical authority has said : — " To make a show and appear 

 learned and ingenious in natural knowledge may flatter 

 vanity. To know facts, to separate them from supposition, 

 to arrange and connect them, to make them plain to ordi- 

 nary capacities, and above all to point out their useful 

 apphcations, should be the chief object of ambition." 

 (William Hunter.) 



