into, by a great Number of Persons, to maintain in Prison, and to defend on their Trials, two Men, who were committed and indicted, for shooting at a Servant of Earl FORTESCUE, who had been sent out with others, and apprehended these two Men, when using Snares in the night, not far from his Lordship's House.

In 1805, WILLIAM BAKER, Gamekeeper to Lord SELSEY, at West-dean, SUSSEX, being in Pursuit of some Poachers, one of them fired, and lodged the Contents of the Piece in the Body of BAKER, which caused his instant Death.

Chapman and Fuller were executed at Norwich, in 1808, for firing at and wounding, William Bussey, principal Gamekeeper, to Earl CHOLMONDELEY.

In 1809, Two Servants of Mr. BOOTLE'S, of Latham House, near Ormskirk, discovered two Men killing Game in the Night, and upon attempting to Seize them, the Poachers immediately levelled their Guns, shot one, and dangerously wounded the other, and the Murderers escaped.

In January, 1811, the Hon. Mr. VERNON'S Gamekeeper, accompanied by two Assistants, surprised a Gang of Poachers, in one of the Woods of Stainbro' Park, shooting Pheasants. The Villains immediately fired upon them, and wounded the three, and then made off; the Gamekeeper in his Hand, the Landlord of the Inn at Stainbro', dangerously in the Back, and the third Man in the Arm, so that it was found necessary to amputate it.

In August, 1811, Mr. Astell, Earl SPENCER's Gamekeeper, at Wimbledon, was shot in detecting a Poacher, and died, after lingering a Fortnight in extreme Agony.

In December, 1811, one of the Gamekeepers of the Duke of BEDFORD, hearing the Report of a Gun in the Night, in his Grace's Woods, went with another Person to the spot, where they found three Men, one having a Pheasant in his Hand, who immediately threw down the Bird, and, pulling from under his Smock-frock a short stick, struck the Gamekeeper a Blow on the Head, which fractured his Skull in so dreadful a manner, that his Life was despaired of.

To the preceding Descriptions, of Caution in the Preserving, from the unpermitted Qualified Sportsman, and from the predatory Warfare, carried on by Poachers for destroying GAME, this Advertisement from the KENTISH Gazette, of the Eleventh of September, 1812, is a curious Contrast. MANOR of DENNIE, alias DANE, in the Parishes of Chilham and Molash. The Interest of Agriculture on this Manor, and the surrounding Country, being much injured by the great Numbers of Hares, Pheasants, and Rabbits, the PROPRIETOR feels the Necessity, of giving this general Invitation to qualified Gentlemen, to sport at their Pleasure. The Manor House, is in the Parish of Chilham, very near to a Place called Shottenton Thorn, and John Packman (a Servant) who resides there, has Orders to accommodate Gentlemen as well as he can, with Stabling for their Horses, and with any Refreshment for themselves, that his homely Mode of Living can offer.The House is large, and a limited number of Gentlemen, by sending their own Bedding, may be accommodated with Houseroom, in this, or future Shooting Seasons!!!":

*The Funeral of a Whipper-In has been noticed, by a Song

Woodcocks.

In the HOUSE of COMMONS, on the second April, 1808, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, gave Notice of his Intention, to have the Game Certificate Duty, collected with the Assessed Taxes, and that Woodcocks, Snipes, &c. would, as far as related to the Licence, be considered as Game.

On the Report of the Committee being brought up, on a subsequent Day, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, it was not only his Wish, that shooting Woodcocks and Snipes, but likewise Rabbits, out of Warrens, should be subject to the Game Laws. Mr. CALCRAFT asked, if Sparrows, and Blackbirds, were to come under the Act, or whether Persons were permitted to shoot at all, without paying for a Licence? As the Money for the Licences, is to be collected with the Assessed Taxes, an additional Ten per cent, will of Course be added to the former Impost.

Upon this Exaltation into the Class of BIRDS, under

written on the Subject, this Gamekeeper's Burial, is nearly eccentric. At Lyndhurst was buried, Mr. Flower Archer, aged Eighty-six, many Years one of His MAJESTY'S Keepers of the New Forest.-His Funeral was extraordinary:-It was his express Desire (while living) to be buried with all his Clothes on, to be conveyed to the Grave, in his own Cart, and that Half a Hogshead of strong Beer, and Cakes for every one present, should follow the Procession; and that the Body, should remain one Hour on the Church-hill, in order that the Cakes and Beer, might be distributed.

the Protection of the LEGISLATURE, the Lines beneath were written.

The WOODCOCKS and SNIPES t'other Eve met 'together,
To talk o'er the News of the Day,

When the President, shaking indignant each Feather,
Cry'd," List, Friends, to what I've to say :-

" By the CHIEFS of this Land, we've been deem'd a rich Prize,

We have flown far to pamper their Wills;

And, Year after Year, when they wanted Supplies,

We were all on the Wing with LONG BILLS.

Nay, so much were we lik'd, at the Feasts of the Great,
Tho' I never before of it boasted,

That Princes and Lords, of our Merits would prate,
And even our TRAILS have they TOASTED.

"But now they may cry up a Crow or Woodpecker, Their Owls and their Pies, great and small,

For the CHANCELLOR vile, of the British EXCHEQUER, Has fairly MADE GAME of us all."

By this Story depress'd, they all slowly took Wing,
For to fly fast, they seem'd quite unable,

And each took his Oath-"BY THE CLEAR WATER-SPRING,
I'LL BE SHOT, if I e'er grace his Table."

Of Woodcocks breeding in this Country, undoubted Evidence has been repeatedly afforded, and perhaps the Instances beyond those here observed, might be greatly extended.

In Lord RIVER'S Woods, called Melcombe Park, the

Gamekeeper, William Riggs, most cautiously refrains from killing Woodcocks, after Pheasant-shooting goes out. This Rule, he has regarded for many Years past, and the Consequence has been, unusual Abundance, and one Pair or more, lately bred on the Spot. The Keeper has frequently sprung one Brood of these Woodcocks, six in number, exclusive of the old Birds; and remarks, that the Young, notwithstanding their inferior Size, appeared to have Bills, nearly as long, as those of the full-grown Birds.

From the Number of the Birds, this Account deserves Notice. In 1809, a BROOD of Ten or Twelve young Woodcocks, three parts grown, has been discovered, in Yardley Chase, Northamptonshire, the Property of the Earl of

NORTHAMPTON.

A couple of young Woodcocks, about half grown, were caught by a Countryman in Shrub Wood, in the Parish of Caversham, OXON, and exhibited as a Curiosity, to many Inhabitants of READING; a third was seen, but could not be taken. The Plumage exactly resembled that of the old Birds, and the Bill was proportionate to their Growth.-A Gentleman very liberally rewarded the Countryman, for carrying them back, and turning them into the Wood, from which they had been brought, as there was not the least Probability of their being reared, by any other Means.

A Woodcock was killed near Holywell, which reached the Weight of Twenty Ounces, the heaviest upon Record.

Mr. JOLLY, a Poulterer, Charing Cross, had a Couple of Woodcocks the Ninth of July, 1809, in his Shop, for Sale, the Birds were in very fine Condition, and were Curiosities, considering the time of the Year, the Price asked for them, was Fourteen Shillings.