GAME LAWS. 429 



many disputes between farmers and eager young 

 sportsmen (perhaps the sons of their landlords), who 

 sometimes cannot resist following their game into 

 the corn. There would be an end of destroying a 

 whole nide of young pheasants in standing barley, 

 which is so frequently, and so easily, done in Sep- 

 tember. 



The hot weather of September was never meant 

 for hard fagging. September is a month that the 

 agriculturist should devote to his harvest, and the 

 man of pleasure to sailing, sea-bathing, fishing, and 

 other summer pursuits. But when October arrives, 

 the farmer has leisure to enjoy a little sport after all 

 his hard labour, without neglecting his business ; 

 and the gentleman, by a day's shooting, at that 

 time, becomes refreshed and invigorated, instead of 

 wearing out himself and his dogs, by slaving after 

 partridges under a broiling sun in September. The 

 evenings begin to close, and he then enjoys his party 

 and his fire-side, after a day's shooting of just suf- 

 ficient duration to brace his nerves, and make every 

 thing agreeable. 



Penalty for killing game out of season to be not less than 5/. 

 nor more than 50/., at the option of magistrates. 



One regular penalty is not fair. There should 

 rest with the magistrates the power of making a 

 very great distinction between one, who could prove 

 that he had killed a head of game for a longing lady, 



