598 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



made, or if a sufficient sum of money be paid into 

 court by the defendant. 



This act not to extend to Scotland or Ireland. 



Certificate. 



By the act of 25 George III. c. 20, every person 

 (except the royal family) in Great Britain, who shall 

 use any dog, gun, net, or other engine for the taking 

 or destroying of game (not being a gamekeeper), shall 

 annually procure a certificate from the clerk of the 

 county, charged with a stamp duty of two guineas. 

 This stamp-duty was afterwards raised to three 

 guineas ; and, in the 48 George III. c. 55, the 

 statute underwent a sort of revision ; and the sports- 

 man is now to apply to the collector of the taxes, who 

 will receive the money for the certificate (which is 

 three guineas and a half,) and give a receipt for the 

 same, for which receipt he is legally authorized to de- 

 mand one shilling. The receipt thus obtained is to be 

 delivered to the clerk of the commissioners acting for 

 the district, who will, in return, give the requisite cer- 

 tificate, without any additional expense. A game- 

 keeper's certificate must be obtained in the same way, 

 the expense of which is twenty-five shilUngs, if he be 

 an assessed servant ; and, if not an assessed servant, 

 three guineas and a half. 



The act of 48 George III. also added several birds 

 (namely, the woodcock, snipe, and land-rail) to the 

 list of game, as well as the rabbit ; with, however, the 

 following exceptions : — the taking of woodcocks or 

 snipes in nets or springes, and the taking or destroy- 

 ing rabbits in warrens, or any inclosed ground ; or by 

 any person in land which he occupies. 



