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The Arms Acts prohibit the possession of guns, pistols, 

 bayonets, &c., in Ireland, without license. 



The Legislature in Ireland deemed it necessary to provide 

 against the destruction of brood fish, by ' idle persons going at 

 night in great numbers, disguised, with their faces blacked/ 

 often in liquor, and armed with dangerous weapons.* The 

 river police fear to confront themselves with such parties, in 

 dark nights, and in wild localities. As long as the implements 

 are possessed at all, an illicit use of them is to be apprehended ; 

 but the law could not, with justice, proscribe the simple pos- 

 session of them. Under a future good spirit of conservation, 

 many will be voluntarily surrendered. But the Legislature 

 might deem it expedient to provide a penalty for their being 

 in the hands of persons on the bank of a river, when no doubt 

 could exist as to the intent to employ them.f 



prevailed in the wilder parts of Ireland ; but a more mischievous proceeding is 

 practised in the county of Kerry, of ' poisoning a river. ' 



There is a kind of spurge, a weed found in woods, the botanic name of which 

 is Euphorbia Hiberna. It has a white juice, which is extracted by pounding in 

 a tub. When the water is low, this stuff being thrown in the river destroys all 

 the fish for a considerable distance, and they float on the surface. As this is 

 done in the open season, there are no means of ascertaining the perpetration of 

 the offence by the possession of fish, and there are great difficulties in detecting 

 the committers. It appears the fish are not thereby rendered unfit for food ; 

 and when it is known that a part of a river has been so dealt with, numbers 

 come down and take them out of the water. 



As the present law is not sufficiently stringent to repress this pernicious 

 system, destroying the fry as well as the larger'fish, it may be advisable to im- 

 pose a penalty on the possession of such deleterious matter, or of fish wilfully 

 poisoned, if malicious intention in the first case can be proved. 



* 12 Geo. I., cap. 7. ' An Act for the better preserving the Salmon Fishery 

 of this Kingdom. 



' Forasmuch as by many undue practices, the Salmon Fishery in this king- 

 dom is extremely decayed, and many idle and disorderly persons go in great 

 numbers disguised with their faces blacked, or otherwise disfigured, and with 

 lights, loops, spears, and other instruments, kill great quantities of Salmon in 

 such places in fresh water rivers as they are preparing to leave their spawn in ; 

 to prevent which pernicious practices for the future, be it enacted, ' * * for 

 any person to seize and bring before a Justice of the Peace such persons found 

 so fishing, or so disguised, though not actually fishing. A penalty of 40s. is 

 provided, or in default, thirty-one days' committal to the House of Correction 

 or Workhouse, with hard labour and due correction. 



26 Geo. III., c. 50. Amending that of 23 Geo. III., 'for the Protection and 

 Improvement of the Inland Fisheries of this Kingdom.' 



Section 3. ' And whereas the destructive practice of killing Salmon and 

 Salmon Peal when spent, and out of season, which tends not only to the great 

 injury of fisheries, but the health of such as eat them, is generally carried on 

 in the night, and by persons disguised, who frequently assemble with arms, and 

 thus deter water-keepers and others from approaching them to discover their 

 names, or prevent their intended mischievous practices ; be it enacted, that if 

 two or more such persons shall be found together with lights, spears,' &c., for 

 the purpose of killing fish in the night, they shall be liable on conviction to a 

 fine of 5, or committal to gaol without bail for not more than six months nor 

 less than three, and for not less than six for every subsequent offence. 



Another section provides, that if the offenders cannot be discovered, the fine 

 shall be levied on the townlands on each side of the river where the offence was 

 sworn to have been committed. 



t SPEARS Under former Acts of Parliament, passed in this country, powers 



