OWNERSHIP OF ANIMALS 235 
ceedings. A gift implies the existence of a donor, 
and his will to transfer ownership, a thing to be 
transferred, a receiver of the gift and his accept- 
ance of the same. The gift may be annulled at any 
time up to that at which it has been accepted. 
The fact that the giver has presented it, either 
formally in person, or in writing, does not trans- 
fer ownership. The gift must be accepted, and in 
a question of doubt this acceptance should be 
shown by some act or record. The acceptance by 
the natural guardians of an infant may be suffi- 
cient for his protection of a gift. For a parent to 
say to his son ‘‘you may call that colt yours’’ may 
not be sufficient for the transfer of ownership. In 
case of question the parent must be able to show 
that the colt was in fact regarded as the property 
of the son, and that it was so regarded universally 
in the family. In as much as such questions are 
very liable to come to the surface when some at- 
tachment or levy has been made on account of the 
parent, and such a claim then gives rise to sus- 
picion; and because of the possible question of 
right of ownership in animals sometimes becomes 
serious; it would seem that every such gift should 
be a matter of record, and that the record should 
be preserved by the person to whom the animal is 
given. This record may be an entry in the books 
of a parent presenting the animal to his child, and 
describing the animal so that others could iden- 
tify it; or it may be better made in a note which 
can be handed to the child, or preserved for him, 
and after describing the animal or animals given, 
further state the terms of a gift. Does the parent 
intend to give only the animal, and let the child 
