THE GROUND GAME ACT 



199 



the position (as regards a licence) of a person who 

 is neither ' owner ' nor ' occupier,' but who is, for 

 example, an invited guest of the owner, or of the 

 shooting tenant, or has permission to go over land by 

 himself for the purpose of shooting rabbits only ? Is 

 he bound to take out a game licence (though not 

 intending to shoot feathered game, or hares), or will 

 a ten-shilling gun licence suffice ? Before this point 

 can be determined it is necessary to look at the 

 provisions of no less than four statutes. ' 



The principal Game Act in defining ' game ' does 

 not include rabbits, woodcock, snipe, quail, or land 

 rail. Consequently it is not an offence under that 

 Act (Section 23) to kill rabbits without a licence. 

 But Section 4 of the Game Licences Act, i860 

 (23 & 24 Vict. cap. 90) runs thus : — 



' Every person before he shall take, kill, or 

 pursue ... or use any dog, gun, net, or other engine 

 for the purpose of taking, killing, or pursuing any 

 game, or any woodcock, snipe, quail, landrail, coney, 

 or deer, shall take out a proper licence to kill game 

 under this Act ... or forfeit 20/.' 



In other words, under the Game Licences Act, 



' The principal Game Act, i & 2 Will. IV. cap. 32 ; ihe 

 Game Licences Act, i860 ; the Gun Licence Act, 1870 ; and 

 the Ground Game Act, 18S0. 



