MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON WILD-FOWL DRIVING. 
95 
are sick, and moulting their heathers, and the Flesh unsavoury 
and unwholesome, to the Prejudice of those that buy them, and to 
the great Damage and Decay of the Breed of Wild Fowl. Be it 
therefore further enacted ‘ that between the 1st July and the 
1st September’ no person shall by Hayes, Tunnels, or other Nets, 
drive and take any Wild Duck, Teal, Widgeon, or any other 
Water Fowl in any of the Fens, Lakes, Broad Waters, or other 
Places of Resort for Wild Fowl,” &c., under a penalty of 5/- for 
each Fowl, and not more than one month or less than fourteen 
days’ imprisonment, with whipping, hard labour, and forfeiture of 
nets, &c., used. 
In 1737, by the 10 George II., c. 32, this Act is confirmed 
with the following addition, “and whereas the said Act hath been 
found by Experience to be inelfectual, by reason that the Wild 
Fowl begin to moult before the 1st July and have not done moult- 
ing by the 1st September, so that great numbers of Wild Fowl are 
yearly destroyed contrary to the tone, intent, and meaning of the 
said Act ; ” therefore the close-time was ordered to commence on 
the first day of June and to continue to the first day of October. 
Penalty as before. 
This Act remained in force till the year 1831, when by Section I. 
of the 1 and 2 of William IV., c. 32, entitled, “ An Act to amend 
the Laws in England relative to Game,” it, with 2G other Acts, 
relating to Game ranging from 13 Ric. II. to 59 Geo. III., c. 102, 
was repealed, but the taking of the eggs of “ any Swan, Wild Duck, 
Teal, or Widgeon ”* by “ any person not having the right of killing 
the Game upon any Land nor having Permission from the Person 
having such Right ” was prohibited, and this is apparently still the 
case, but I cannot find that there is any other Act protecting Ducks 
now in force except the modern Wild Birds Protection Acts. 
* Why the eggs of the Wigeon are specially named here it is difficult to 
imagine, as this bird was certainly not known to nest in Britain until after 
that time. 
