36 THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE. 



night-time, and there take or kill any coney against 



the will of the owner, or aid and assist therein. 

 N. B. If rabbits come upon a person's ground, 



and damage his herbage or corn, it is lawful for him 



to kill them. 



Pigeons are not game : notwithstanding, as there 



is a penalty attached to their destruction, and as they 



occasionally present themselves to the sportsman, I 



will take the liberty of saying a few words on them 



in this place. 



Any person who shall shoot, or destroy in any 



manner, any pigeon, shall, on conviction before two 

 justices, on the oath of two witnesses, or on his own 



confession, be committed to gaol for three months, or 

 pay, for the use of the poor, twenty shillings for every 

 pigeon; or within one month after commitment 

 find sureties not to offend again. 



However, by 2 Geo. II. c. 29. one witness and 

 one justice are sufficient: to forfeit twenty shillings 

 to the person who prosecutes, or be committed to 

 the house of correction and kept to hard labour for 

 any teim not exceeding three calendar months, nor 

 less than one. 



N B. Notwithstanding, a man has a right to shoot 

 any pigeons he may find destroying his corn. 



