BEAT'ING THE BOUNDS. The popular expression in England for the periodical surveys or perambulations by which the ancient boun daries of parishes are preserved. Formerly the ceremony took place annually, but now it is ob served less often. The procedure, according to common custom, is in this wise: On Itoly Thursday or Ascension Day, the clergyman of the parish, the parochial officers and other pa rishioners. together with the boys of the parish school, headed by their master, go in procession to the parish boundary. it is their duty to trace very carefully every foot of the boundary, even if ladders must be used in climbing over build ings and other obstructions. It is desirable to have as many boys as possible. At each 'boun dary-mark' a halt is made, and the boys beat the mark with peeled willow wands to impress its location on their memories. The beating was not confined to the above performance of the boys, but where it was desired to preserve evi den•e of particular boundaries, the singular ex pedient was used of whipping the boys them selves on the spot, or one of them, who received a stated fee for the permitted castigation out of the parish funds—it being thought that the impression made on the memory was thus more likely to lie lasting.
The custom is a Teutonic institution, taking its rise in the 'procession' of the ancient mark or township. This procession was led by the priest who performed sacrifices on altars placed near the borders. When the Germans were con verted, the Christian priest took the place of the pagan, and the heathen sacrifice was sup planted by the mass. The procession is still maintained in Bavaria, as also in Russia. Simi lar duties were performed by the appointed 'per ambulators' in the New England Colonies, and by the 'proeessioners' in early Virginia. In Eng lish law the correct legal term for beating the bounds is perambulation (q.v.). Consult: Toni min Smith, The Parish 1S57) ; Brand, Popular Antiquities (London, 1873-77) ; Lysons, Lnrirons of London, Vol. 11. (London, 1792-96) ; hone, Every Day Boa: (London. 1S26-31) ; Steer, Parish Lam (London, 1887) ; Grimm, firehtsaltertiimer (Gatingen, 1854) ; Laveleye, Primitive Property (Eng. trans. London, 1878); Wallace, Russia (New York, 1881) ; and, in gen eral. Howard. Local Constitutional History, Vol. 1. (Baltimore, 1889).