22 THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE. 



the dog-spears being set in his woods; and Mr. 

 Townsend proved that four dogs belonging to dif- 

 ferent gentlemen upon visits at his house, had within 

 these few years been killed by them. The defendant 

 called no witnesses. 



Mr. Justice Dallas reprehended severely, in his 

 charge to the jury, a practice so imminently danger- 

 ous and unfeeling, particularly as it appeared that 

 women and children frequently passed that way. He 

 said he had little doubt as to the illegality of the act 

 in his own mind. A verdict was given to the plaintiff 

 for 15?., the supposed value of the dog. 



Certificate. 



We cannot trace the origin of this legal instru- 

 ment for killing game to remote antiquity : it was 

 not known till the 25 Geo. 111. c. 50, s. 2; which 

 enacts, that every person (except the royal family) in 

 Great Britain, who shall use any dog, gun, net, or 

 other engine for the taking or destroying of game 

 (not being a gamekeeper), shall annually procure a 

 certificate, which only a few years back was obtained 

 from the clerk of the county, at the expense of 3/. 4s. 

 In the 48 Geo. III. c. 55, the statute just mentioned 

 underwent a sort of revision ; or, more properly 

 speaking perhaps, was superseded ; and the sports- 

 man is now to apply to the collector of the taxes, who 

 will receive the money for the certificate, (which is 

 now raised to 31. 14s. Gd.) and give a receipt for the 



