276 SHOOTING-RIGHTS OF 



property in that parish, or in an adjoining one 

 (the land being conterminous in this case), 

 did not exceed one hundred acres. The right 

 to shoot over all these small freeholds and 

 copy-holds should be vested in the parish 

 council (or meeting). It should be put up to 

 auction every five years, and sold to the high- 

 est bidder, who would bind himself to leave a 

 reasonable head of game on the land, and to 

 submit to arbitration the question of damages 

 to crops from the keeping of an excessive 

 head of game. It would, I think, be too radi- 

 cal a measure to make such a system com- 

 pulsory at once, but I think local option might 

 be given in this matter to parish councils. 

 The good such a system would work in many 

 parishes Is incalculable. The result of the 

 communal system abroad is that the casual 

 poacher has ceased to exist. There is no 



