OWNERSHIP OF ANIMALS 235 



ceedings. A gift implies the existence of a donor, 

 and his will to transfer ownership, a thing to be 

 transferred, a receiver of the gift and his accept- 

 ance of the same. The gift may be annulled at any- 

 time up to that at which it has been accepted. 

 The fact that the giver has presented it, either 

 formally in person, or in writing, does not trans- 

 fer ownership. The gift must be accepted, and in 

 a question of doubt this acceptance should be 

 shown by some act or record. The acceptance by 

 the natural guardians of an infant may be suffi- 

 cient for his protection of a gift. For a parent to 

 say to his son "you may call that colt yours" may 

 not be sufficient for the transfer of ownership. In 

 case of question the parent must be able to show 

 that the colt was in fact regarded as the property 

 of the son, and that it was so regarded universally 

 in the family. In as much as such questions are 

 very liable to come to the surface when some at- 

 tachment or levy has been made on account of the 

 parent, and such a claim then gives rise to sus- 

 picion; and because of the possible question of 

 right of ownership in animals sometimes becomes 

 serious ; it would seem that eveiy such gift should 

 be a matter of record, and that the record should 

 be preserved by the person to whom the animal is 

 given. This record may be an entry in the books 

 of a parent presenting the animal to his child, and 

 describing the animal so that others could iden- 

 tify it; or it may be better made in a note which 

 can be handed to the child, or preserved for him, 

 and after describing the animal or animals given, 

 further state the terms of a gift. Does the parent 

 intend to give only the animal, and let the child 



