ABSTRACT OF THE GAME LAWS. 917 



and wilfully kill, wound, or take any house-dove or pigeon, under such 

 circumstances as shall not amount to larceny at common law, every 

 such offender, being convicted thereof, before one j ustice of the peace, 

 shall forfeit and pay, over and above the value of the bird, two pounds. 

 A man may, however, shoot pigeons if destroying his corn. 



Duty on Dogs. — Greyhounds, pointers, setters, spaniels, lurchers, 

 and terriers are liable to a duty of fourteen shillings for each, and any 

 person paying assessed taxes is subjected to a tax of eight shillings for 

 each dog, not of the above description. 



Stealing Dogs. — Any person stealing a dog from its owner, or any 

 one to whom it may have been intrusted, or who shall harbour, sell, 

 buy, detain, or keep any such dog, knowing the same to be stolen, and 

 who shall be convicted of the same by the oath of one witness, or his own 

 confession, before two justices, shall, for the first offence, forfeit a sum 

 not exceeding thirty pounds, nor less than tvv'enty pounds, at the dis- 

 cretion of tlie said two justices, together with all charges previous to 

 and attending such conviction, to be ascertained by the said justices ; 

 and if the penalty is not forthwith paid, the offender shall be committed 

 to the house of correction, or common gaol, for a period of not less than 

 six nor exceeding twelve months, or until such penalties and charges 

 are paid. 



For a second offence the penalty is fifty pounds, and not less than 

 thirty pounds, together with expenses; and in case of nonpayment to be 

 committed to either the house of correction or gaol for eighteen months, 

 and not less than twelve months, or until the same be paid. One 

 moiety of such penalty to be paid to the informer, and the other to the 

 poor of the parish where the offence has been committed ; and such 

 justices may order the offender to be publicly w^iipped within three 

 days after commitment in the town in which such gaol or house of cor- 

 rection shall be, between the hours of twelve and one in the daytime. 



A justice may grant a warrant to search for any dog stolen, and in 

 case either the dog or his skin be found, the one or the other shall be 

 restored to its owner, and the person in whose custody such dog or skin 

 was found, shall be liable to the above penalties. 



If a mischievous dog is allowed to go at liberty unmuzzled, the ow^ner 

 may be indicted, and an action of damages will, in such case, lie against 

 him ; but such action cannot be brought unless the ow^ner had notice 

 of the dog having bitten some person before. 



If a man keep a dog accustomed to bite sheep, an action will lie 

 against him, if it can be proved that the owner was aware that the dog 

 was addicted thereto ; and his having once wounded or killed a sheep, 

 is sufficient to constitute his character as a sheep-biter. 



If a dog attack another, the owner of the dog attacked may beat and 

 even kill his enemy, in order to save his own dog. 



