434 GAME LAWS. 



manor. But it would, perhaps, be prudent for the lord, 

 or his keeper, first to seize the dog, before he ventured 

 to shoot or destroy him. 



It is a common trick among low farmers and poachers, 

 who keep a wireh aired greyhound, or a lurcher, to cut 

 his tail, and pass him off for a sheep-dog. The most 

 effectual way to prosecute an offender of this description 

 is, first, to lodge an information against him for keeping 

 such a dog; and, after that is paid, for the lord of the 

 manor, or his keeper, to lay hands on the dog, after 

 which he becomes the property of the lord, and may 

 then, by him or his keeper, be safely taken, shot, or 

 otherwise destroyed, in any place within the limits of 

 that lord's manor. Justices of the peace, as well as 

 lords of manors, are empowered (by the 5th of Anne) 

 to take away game, dogs, nets, or other engines, from 

 persons not qualified. Having taken them, they may, 

 of course, destroy them. 



In case, however, that doubts should exist as to 

 the dog being of the description specified in the act 

 (" greyhound, setting dog, or lurcher,") it has been 

 suggested, that it would be advisable, in lodging the 

 information, to use the word setting dog as a kind of 

 general term. This point I must leave to the more 

 experienced to judge ; but, was an unqualified person 

 actually seen using any dog in the destruction of game y 

 I should then, if he had no certificate, put him in the 

 hands of the tax-gatherers; where he would find him- 

 self in a sort of hornets 9 nest, from which there would 

 be very little hope of escape. 



By the 52 Geo. III. cap. xciii. s. 8. (the act relating to cer- 

 tificates) '- hound, pointer, spaniel, or other dog" is added. 



