Chap. 235.—An ACT for the protection of Game.
Approved March 29, 1877.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That it shall not
be lawful for any person to kill or capture, or offer for sale
or buy, any partridges or quail, between the first day of
February and the first day of November of each year, within
this state; nor shall it bs lawful to capture partridges at
any time by means of nets or traps of any kind until after
the expiration of two years from the passage of this act.

2. It shall not be lawful for any person to kill or capture
pheasants or ruffed grouse between the first day of Febru-
ary and the first day of August of each year; nor woodcock
between the first day of February and the first day of July
of each year; nor robins between the first day of April and
the first day of November of cach year; nor shall it be law-
ful at any time to kill or capture any brown thrush, cat-
bird, cardinal or red-bird, housewren, oriole, wood robin, blue-
bird, housemartin or starling, or to destroy their nests.

3. It shall not be lawful to kill or capture any wild water-
fowl in this state between the first day of April and the first
day of Septémber of cach year, except the wild duck, com-
monly known and called the summer duck, and except the
wild fowl commonly called sora, or during the night; that ia,
between dark and day-break; nor shall it be lawful to kill
wild water-fow] except with a gun that can be raised at arm's
length, and fired from the shoulder without a rest. Wild
geese may be killed either during the day or night, provided
that in no case shall floating reflectors or lamps be used in
shooting wild geese in the night time.

4. It shall not be lawful to kill or capture wild turkeys
between the first day of February and the fifteenth day of
October of each year, nor at any time by traps of any kind.

5. It shall not be lawful for six years from the ‘passage of
this act, to capture mocking birds, or to buy or sell the same,
and both buyer and seller shall be subject to the penalty im-
posed by this act, and in addition, each shal] be fined one
dollar for every bird sold and bought, but this sectioo shall
not apply to any person catching, or having caught, the same
on his own premises unless for sale.

6. It shall not be lawful! for any person to shoot, or in any
manner whatsoever kill or destroy, the bird known as the
marsh hen, nor to take its eggs later in the season, in any
year, than the twentieth day of June. Nor shall it be law-
ful for any person within the limits of said county to shoot,
or in any manner kill or destroy, the bird known as the wil-
let, nor take its eggs later in the season than the twentieth
of July, in any year. Nor shall it be lawful for any person
within the limits of said county to shoot, or in any manner
kill or destroy, the bird known as the gull or striker, in any
year, before the first day of September, nor take their eggs
later in the season than the twentieth of July. Any person
offending against the provisions of this section shall forfeit
and pay, for each offence, not less than five nor more than ten
dollars, recoverable before a justice of the peace.

7. It shall not be lawful to kill or capture deer within this
state, between the fifteenth day of December.and the fifteenth
day of August, of the next succeeding year.

8. Any person offending against the provisions of this act,
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction thereot
in any court, or before a justice of the peace, shall be fined
ten dollars for each offence, and shall be imprisoned till said
fine is paid, but not exceeding thirty days. The possession
of any prohibited bird or deer, within the prohibited period
mentioned in this act, shall be held prima facie evidence of
its violation, and subject the person in possession to ita pen-
alties.

9. This act shall be given in charge to the grand jury, at
every term of the court at which a regular grand jury may
be empanneled. And it shall be the duty of the sheriff of
the county or corporation in which the offence is committed,
to prosecute the offending party promptly and vigorously ;
and in every case of wilful failure to perform this duty, he
shall, on complaint by any person to the county or corpora-
tion judge, be fined not less than ten dollars nor more than
twenty dollars. _

10. This act shall repeal all acts in conflict with it, and
shall take effect from and after the first day of July next.