GAME LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1370, 29 March 1867, Page 3

GAME LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES.

The " Farmer " has published some extracts from the report of the Minister of Agriculture in the United States, with reference to the game laws which prevail in different parts of the Republic. The admirers of American j institutions and denouncers of the English game laws as badges of feudal servitude will be interested in observing how they manage these things in a democratic country. In most, if not all, of the States the rights of property are fully respected in regard to game, and fines are imposed for killing game on any land without the permission of the owner. Preserving is so far from being regarded as a crime that special enactments are made for its encouragement. In regard to the different kinds of birds to which protection is afforded, the American laws are much more comprehensive than our own. The small birds, such as sparrows, thrushes, larks, linnets, curlews, &c, down to robins and wrens, which have been almost utterly exterminated in France, as the farmers are now discovering to their cost since a plague of insects has set in, and on which, in our own country, " sparrow " and other clubs wage such cruel war, are all protected in the States, some during part and others during the whole year. The following , passages from the official report will give an idea of the nature and scope of the American regulations: — " The penalties for the violation of the Massachusetts Bird and Game Laws are as follow: —Two dollars each for killing at any time robins, thrushes, linnets, sparrows, bluebirds, bob-o'-links, yellowbirds, woodpeckers, or warblers ; the same for killing birds on salt marshes, the owner excepted ; five dollars for killing partridges or quail between March 1 and September 1, and woodcock between March 1 and July 4 ; five dollars for trapping or snaring any birds at any time, save partridges ; twenty dollars for killing grouse or heather-hen at any time, and ten dollars to the owner of the grounds, and a search warrant authorised for any one suspected of the offence; and twenty dollars for hunting deer with hounds or dogs in Plymouth or Barnstaple counties. There is a fine of one dollar for killing between sunset and one hour before sunrising any plover, curlew, doughbird, or chicken-bird. Any city or town may vote to suspend, within its limits, any of the provisions of this law. "In Connecticut, a fine of three dollars is imposed for killing, selling, or possessing, or destroying a nest of eggs of woodcocks between the first day of February and the first day of July ; pheasants, partridges, or ruffed grouse, between the first day of February and the first day of September ; quails of any species, between the first day of February and the first day of October; wood-duck, widgeon, black, grey, broad-bill, canvas-back, or teal duck. The fine is one"dollar for killing:, or trapping, a nightingale, bluebird, Baltimore oriole, finch, thrush, lark, sparrow, catbird, wren, martin, swallow, or woodpecker, at any time, or a robin or bob-o'-link between the first of February and the first of September. The taking of brook or lake trout between the first of September and the first of January is fined one dollar. It is also forbidden, under a penalty often dollars, to take pheasants, partridges, or quails, on the land of any other person. " The laws of New York, both local and general, relative to birds and other game, are numerous, and frequently modified or.suspended. By the recent law, insectivorous and other birds are protected between February 1 and October. The fine is placed at five dollars for each woodcock, between January 1 and July 4 ; ruffed grouse, between January 1 and September 1; quail, between January 1 and October 20; wood, black, grey, and teal duck, between February 1 and August 1 (except upon the shores of Long Island). It is forbidden to catch quail or ruffed grouse with a snare at any time; and it is unlawful to take prairie fowl within ten years, under penalty of ten dollars for each one killed or taken. Five dollars each is the penalty for taking trout between September 1 and March 1. Deer are prohibited game from February 15 to August 1 in all counties except Clinton, Franklin, St Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, Herkimer, Hamilton, Essex, Warren, Fulton, and Saratoga, where the prohibition is taken off only in October; and in King's, Queen's, and Suffolk counties is twenty-five dollars each. For fishing, except with a hook or line, in certain interior lakes, the fine is twenty-five dollars. A similar penalty attaches to trespass in fishing after public notice has been given." In Pennsylvania, in addition to the protection afforded to pheasants, woodcock, and partridge, there is a penalty of five dollars for each rabbit killed during the breeding season, or from February 1 to October 1; and in Delaware the laws are strict and the penalties heavy, amounting in some instances to 100 dollars. In Ohio " exposing for sale or having in possession incurs the same penalties " as for killing certain specified birds and animals, including hares and rabbits, " and the costs of prosecution are all cases to be paid by the offender. "