6o NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HARE 



poachers who sought to retain their property, often led 

 to lamentable results. Accordingly, George IV. sanc- 

 tioned an Act intended to repress such outrages, by deal- 

 ing more severely with professional criminals. The 

 poacher was to be sent to gaol for three months or six 

 for his first and second offences ; this could not be 

 considered excessively severe. But the third convic- 

 tion sealed the career of many a young farm hind who 

 had drifted into evil companionship. The State 

 found him a free passage to the Antipodes, and lodged 

 him beyond the seas for seven years. If he was fortu- 

 nate enough to survive the horrors of the convict ship, 

 he eventually returned to the old home a wiser though 

 sadder man. It is mournful to think how many fine 

 lads must have owed their downfall to their boyish 

 infatuation for netting our dainty Puss. 



About the same time that our great-grandfathers 

 began to deport poachers to the colonies, an Act was 

 passed to secure the safety of hares in warrens. If a 

 man presumed to kill a hare within the limits of a 

 warren during the hours of daylight, he rendered 

 himself liable to a fine of five pounds. If he happened, 

 however, to commit the same offence after nine at 

 night, he committed a misdemeanour, and was 

 punished with suitable severity. Rabbits were pro- 

 tected by the Act just alluded to as well as hares ; 



