LAWS AFFECTING WILD-FOWL. 339 



tion, should forfeit 5s. for each bird so taken ; and the hays, tunnels, 

 and nets used in taking such wild-fowl were to be seized, and destroyed 

 in the presence of the justice before whom the party was convicted. 



The 10th Geo. II., cap. 32,* recites that the said act of Queen 

 Anne had been found ineffectual, by reason of the wild-fowl be- 

 ginning- to moult before the 1st of July, and that they had not done 

 moulting by the 1st of September : the time was therefore extended 

 to between the 1st day of June and the 1st of October. 



LAWS NOW IN FORCE. 



Wild-fowl. As the law at present stands, no certificate is required 

 to kill wild-fowl, whether in a decoy or elsewhere ; but no person is 

 allowed to shoot wild-fowl so near to an old-established decoy as to 

 disturb it, or prevent wild-fowl from resorting there (vide ante, page 

 76 The Law of Decoys") ; nor may any person kill wild-fowl on 

 private property, without leave of the owner or the person legally 

 authorised to give permission. 



Snipes and Woodcocks. By the 52nd Geo. III., cap. 93, any 

 person using a dog and gun for the purpose of shooting or killing 

 snipes or woodcocks, is liable to, and must obtain, a game-certificate. 

 This enactment is still in force. But snipes and woodcocks may be 

 taken with nets or springes by persons who have not obtained a 

 game-certificate, such methods of fowling being specially exempted 

 from game-duties by the same statute. 



Wild-fowl, Snipes, and Woodcocks are not Game. Neither wild- 

 fowl, snipes, nor woodcocks are game. The statute 9th Geo. IV., 

 cap. 69, sec. 13, defines the species of all birds that are, by law, con- 

 sidered game. The Game Act of 1st and 2nd Wm. IV., cap. 32, 

 specifies the same creatures to be game as the former statute of 9th 

 Geo. IV. 



Killing Wild-fowl, &c., on a Sunday. Sec. 3 of this statute (1st 

 and 2nd Wm. IV., cap. 32) prohibits, under certain penalties, the 

 killing of game of all kinds, and bustards, on a Sunday or Christmas- 

 day ; but it does not mention wild-fowl, woodcocks, or snipes : con- 

 sequently, persons shooting such birds on those days are not liable to 

 the penalties imposed by this section of the act. 



Tenants' Rights. Where the landlord reserves to himself simply 

 the right to kill the game, the tenant may kill snipes and woodcocks, 



* Repealed by 1st and 2nd Win. IV., cap. 32. 



