42 THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



improper, and that now any one who " corruptly " offers 

 or accepts such secret commissions is liable under the 

 criminal law. A keeper should accept nothing of the 

 kind without the full knowledge of his master. He will 

 then be all right, not only with the law of the land, but 

 also with his own self-respect. 



The whole subject of game, in regard alike to its pre- 

 servation and its destruction or capture, is so fenced 

 about by law, that no keeper can properly do his work 

 without knowing at least the main restrictions which 

 the law places on himself and others. Space forbids 

 that more than an outline be given here, but for the sake 

 of those wishing more detailed information a list is given 

 at the close of the chapter of the leading books on the 

 subject. The law on the subject is in rather a confused 

 state, owing to the careless wording of Acts of Parlia- 

 ment. Those who are fond of abusing lawyers and the 

 law should remember that most of the law has been 

 manufactured in Parliament by laymen ! 



Game, in its general sense, means all birds and beasts 

 which are both used as food for man and are usually 

 shot or hunted by man for sport. But the word is 

 also used in the narrow sense of the birds and beasts 

 mentioned in the leading Game Act of each of the 

 Three Kingdoms. These are hare, pheasant, partridge, 

 grouse, heath or moor game, black game, and bustards. 

 (Heath game and moor game only mean black game 

 and grouse respectively.) For Ireland add deer, land- 

 rails, and quail. In Ireland " moor game" is also 



