s. 5. Keepers and their assistants may ap prehend offenders they find in the act, and take them before a justice. Ibid. c. 15. R. distress, and for want of distress, commitment for six months, or till paid, with costs, J. 1. W. 1. A. half to the King, half to the informer. Ibid. s 11.
Burning furze, fern, &c. on any forest or chase without consent of the owner, keeper, &c. P. 408. to 51. II. distress, or in default, commitment from one to three months. J. I. W. 1. A. half to the in former, half to the poor. 28 George II.
c. 19.
Unlawfully entering into any ground, (enclosed or not,) and hunting or killing rabbits, P. treble damages to the party ag grieved and costs, or commitment for three months, and till he find sureties for his good behaviour. J. 1. W. I. 22, 23, Charles H. c. 25, s. 4.
Killing or taking house-dove or pi geon, P. 20s. or commitment from one to three calendar months, or till paid. R. J.
I. W. 1. A. to the prosecutor, 2 George c. 29.
Driving, or taking by nets, tunnels, &c. any water-fowl in the moulting sea son, P. 5s. for each fowl, and nets to be seized and destroyed. R. distress, and in default, commitment from fourteen days to one month. J. 1. W. I. A. half to
the informer, half to the poor. 9 Anne, C. 25. s. 4.
Game, are deer, hares, pheasants, par tridges, moor game, and, by the act now passing, snipes and woodcocks are made game.
It is not to be inferred that these sta tutes actually impower qualified persons to hunt or shoot any where. They cannot enter another man's land in pursuit of game without his leave ; but at the same time, if he has not warned the sportsman against coming upon his land, he will not recover more than 40s. costs in an action of trespass.
Sporting seasons. The time for sport ing, in the day, is from one hour be fore sun rising, until one hour after sun setting. 10 George III. c. 19. For bus tards, the sporting is from December 1, to March 1. For grouse, or red grouse, from August 11, to December 10. Hares may be killed all the year, under the re strictions in 10 George III. c. 19. Heath fowl, or black-game, from August 20, to December 20. Partridges, from Sep tember 1, to February 12. Pheasants, from October 1, to February 1. Wid geons, wild ducks, wild geese, wild fowls, at any time but in June, July, August, and September.