28 MEDIEVAL BIRD LAWS. 



A yearly meeting was to be convened of tenants, 

 who were to survey the buildings and trees in their 

 neighbourhood, and conclude by what means it 

 would be easiest to destroy the young birds of the 

 year. Any parish not complying with this regu- 

 lation was to forfeit twenty shillings. 



Another section of the act gave power to any 

 person " minding to destroy the said Choughs, 

 Crows, and Rooks," after request to the owner or 

 occupier of the land to enter thereon and carry 

 them away without let or hindrance by the owner 

 or occupier. 



It would appear from this that the functions of 

 Rooks as destroyers of insects were not recognized 

 by the Englishmen of Henry VIIL's time ; and also 

 that the Act did not diminish the birds to any 

 great extent, as Rooks and Jackdaws (the bird 

 meant by Chough) are still among our commonest 

 birds. 



In 1566, in the eighth year of Elizabeth, and also 

 in the fourteenth and thirty-ninth years of her 

 reign, further Acts were passed which extended to 

 other birds than Crows and Rooks, although they 

 were, also included therein. The Act of 1566 of 

 Elizabeth was styled an "Act for the preservation 

 of Grain." It revived the former provisions for 



