158 THE RABBIT 



To judge by the local press reports of the poach- 

 ing cases which come before the magistrates at petty 

 sessions, it would seem that the majority of convictions 

 are for poaching rabbits, the proceedings being taken 

 under the principal Game Act, 1831 (i & 2 Will. IV. 

 cap. 32), the Night Poachers' Act, 1828 (9 Geo. IV. 

 cap. 69) modified by the Night Poaching Act, 1844 

 (7 & 8 Vict. cap. 29), the Larceny Act, 1861 (24 

 & 25 Vict. cap. 96), or the Poaching Prevention 

 Act, 1862 (25 & 26 Vict. cap. 114). 



As a good deal of ignorance prevails on the subject 

 of the law relating to rabbits, not only amongst game- 

 keepers, who can hardly be supposed to know very 

 much about it, but also amongst their employers, who 

 might be expected to be better informed, it may not 

 be out of place in a volume pertaining exclusively to 

 'The Rabbit ' to devote a few pages to the consideration 

 of cases which continually arise, and to the law which 

 governs them. A little plain law on the subject may 

 be acceptable both to masters and servants, and we 

 shall endeavour so to expound it as to free it as much 

 as possible from technicalities, confining attention 

 chiefly to the duties of gamekeepers (in respect of 

 rabbits) as regulated by Acts of Parliament. 



Perhaps the simplest mode of dealing with the 

 subject will be to look into the provisions of the 



