16 



in no case shall the expense to the Commonwealth growing out of 

 this act exceed five hundred dollars for a single county in any one 

 year. 



Approved The 15th day of July, A. D. 1897. 



DANIEL H. HASTINGS. 



AN ACT 



Making constables of townships and boroughs ex-officio fire, game 

 and fish wardens, prescribing their power and duties, fixing their 

 fees as wardens, and prescribing their punishment for failure to 

 perform their duties. 



Section 1. Be it enacted, &c., That from and after the passage of 

 the act the constables of the various wards, boroughs and town- 

 shjps of the Commonwealth shall be ex-officio fire, game and fish 

 wardens. 



Section 2. It shall be the duty of said fire, game and fish w r ardens 

 to enforce all statutes, of this 'State now in force, or that may here- 

 after be enacted, for the protection of forests and timber lands from 

 fire, and for the protection and propagation of game, game birds, 

 game mammals, song and insectivorous birds, and fish, and said con- 

 stables or wardens shall have authority to arrest without warrant 

 any person or persons caught by them in the act of violating any of 

 the aforesaid laws for the protection of forests and timber lands, 

 game, and food and game fish, and take such person or persons forth- 

 with before a justice of the peace or other magistrate having juris- 

 diction, who shall proceed without delay to hear, try and determine 

 the matter. Such arrests may be also made on Sunday, in which 

 case the person or persons arrested shall be taken before the proper 

 officer, and proceeded against as soon as may be on a week day fol- 

 lowing the arrest. 



Section 3. Said constables or wardens shall have power without 

 warrant to search and examine any boat, conveyance, vehicle, fish 

 box, fish basket, game bag or game coat, or other receptacle for game 

 or fish, when they have good reason to believe that any of the laws 

 for the protection of forests and timber lands, game and fish, have 

 been violated; and the said constables shall at any time seize and 

 take possession of any and all birds, animals or fish, which have been 

 caught, taken or killed at any time, in a manner or for a purpose, or 

 had in possession or under control, have been shipped or are about 

 to be shipped, contrary to any of the laws of this State. Any court 

 having jurisdiction of the offense, upon receiving proof of probable 



