THE ANGLER AND HUNTSMAN 213 



hundred years ago, though their object was a little different 

 from those of our time. I quote below one of the early 

 statutes entitled "An Act for a Free Trade with Indians," 

 passed in Virginia in 1691, its object detailed as follows: 



"And for the future prevention of such mischiefs as 

 have frequently happened at huntings, commonly called 

 fire huntings and other huntings remote from the planta- 

 tions, Bee it enacted by the authority aforesaid, and it is 

 hereby enacted, That no person or persons whatsoever shall 

 hereafter presume to goe an hunting remote from the Eng- 

 lish plantations without first having obtained the lycense 

 and permission of their Majesties leiutenant governour or 

 commander in chief for the time being and the councell of 

 state under such restrictions, limitations and conditions as 

 at the time of giveing such permission shall be by them 

 thought fit to be enjoyned and appointed." 



In 1719 nonresidents in New Jersey were prohibited 

 from taking oysters or putting them on board a vessel not 

 wholly owned by a resident. 



North Carolina enacted a game law in 1745 providing 

 that all persons not possessed of a settled habitation in that 

 province were required to certify that they had planted and 

 tended 5,000 hills of corn and have said certificate in their 

 possession before they were allowed to hunt deer. 



Section 4 of this Act reads as follows : 



"That every person who shall hunt and kill deer in the 

 King's waste within this Province, and who is not possessed 

 of a settled habitation in the same shall be obliged to pro- 

 duce a certificate when required of his having planted and 

 tended five thousand corn-hills, at five feet distance each 

 hill, the preceding year, or season, in the county where he 

 shall hunt, under the hand of at least two Justices of the 

 Peace of the said county and the hand of at least one of 

 the churchwardens of the Parish where such person planted 

 and tended such corn, as aforesaid." 



