60S THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



in the night time, and there take or kill any coney 

 against the will of the owner, or aid and assist 

 therein. 



If rabbits, however, come upon a person's ground, 

 and damage his herbage or corn, it is lawful for him 

 to kill them. 



Any person who shall shoot, or destroy in any man- 

 ner, any pigeon, shall, on conviction before two jus- 

 tices, on the oath of two witnesses, or on his own 

 confession, pay, for the use of the poor, twenty shil- 

 lings for every pigeon ; or be committed to gaol for 

 three months, and within one month after commitment 

 find sureties not to offend again. 



However, by 2 Geo. II. c. 29, one witness and one 

 justice are sufficient ; and the offender is to forfeit 

 twenty shillings to the person who prosecutes, or be 

 committed to the house of correction, and kept to hard 

 labour for any term not exceeding three calendar 

 months, nor less than one. 



By 7th and 8th Geo. IV. c. 29, s. 33, to kill, wound, 

 or take any house-dove, or pigeon, under circum- 

 stances that do not amount to larceny, subjects the 

 offender to a penalty not exceeding two pounds, over 

 and above the value of the bird. 



N. B. A man has a right to shoot pigeons as well 

 as rabbits, if he finds them destroying his corn. 



The 8th of Geo. I. c. 19, provides, that, if any per- 

 son shall be liable to any pecuniary penalty, upon 

 conviction before any justice of the peace, respecting 

 game, the prosecutor may, if he think proper, sue for 

 the whole of such penalties (2 George III.) in the 

 courts of Westminster ; and, if he recover the same, 

 shall be allowed double costs, and no part of such 

 penalty paid to the use of the poor. But such action 

 must be brought within six months after the offence, 



