Chap. 78.—An ACT to protect Mocking Birds in the Commonwealth
Approved February 28, 1874.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That
it shall not be lawful for any person to hunt, shoot, rob their
nests of young birds, or otherwise cause the destruction of
mocking birds, in any of the counties of this state.

2. It shall not be lawful for any person to entrap, catch or
take from their nests, mocking birds, for the purpose of sell-
ing, exporting or caging them, other than the owner or occu-
pier of said land.

3. It shall not be lawful for any person to trespass upon the
premises of another for the purpose of hunting, shooting, en-
trapping or robbing the nests of mocking birds, for any pur-
pose whatever.

4, Any person violating either section of this act, shall be

ilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction, pay a fine
of twenty dollars for each offence, recoverable before any jus-
tice of the peace of the county in which the offence was com-
mitted, or in which ths offender may reside; which fine, with
the costs, shall be appropriated to the support of public free
schools; and if the offender shall not, on rendition of judg-
ment against him, pay the amount of the fine and costs, he
shall be committed by said justice to the county jail, for im-
prisonment for a period of not less than two nor more than

our months. But any person convicted under the powers of
this act, shall have the right of appeal to the county or cor-
poration court of the county or corporation where the said
offence was tried, according to the tenth and eleventh sec-
tions of chapter forty-eight, Code of eighteen hundred and
seventy-three. Such offender may be arrested by any citizen
or citizens of this commonwealth, with or without a warrant,
and carried before a justice of the peace, who shall proceed
to try the case as any other coming before him, and shall
give judgment according to the provisions of this act.

5. This act shall be in force from its passage.