Chapter 213.
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/statutes-at-large/vol-20/chapter-213-534444·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
CHAP. 213.— AN ACT for the preservation of game and protection of birds in the District of Columbia.June 15, 1878. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Game-season for— That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in either his or her possession, either dead or Quail;alive, any partridge otherwise quail, between the first day of February and the first day of November, under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so killed or in possession.
Sec. 2. That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his orPheasant; her possession, either; dead or alive, any pheasant, otherwise ruffed grouse, between the first day of February and the first day of August, under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so killed or in possession. Sec. 3. That no person shall kill or expose tor sale, or have in his orWoodcock; her possession, either dead or alive, any woodcock, between the first day of February and the first day of July, under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so killed or in possession.
Sec. 4. That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his orPrairie-chicken; her possession, either dead or alive, any prairie-chicken, otherwise pinnated grouse, between the first day of February and the first day of September under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so killed or in possession. Sec. 5. That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his orSnipe; her possession, either dead or alive, any snipe, or plover, between the first day of May and the first day of September, under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so killed or in possession Sec. 6.
That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his ofDucks, wild geese; her possession, either dead or alive, any wild duck, wild goose, or wild brandt, between the first day of April and the first day of September, under a penalty of five dollars for each bird so killed on in possession. Sec. 7. That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his orBoils, reed-birds; her possession, either dead or alive, any water-rail, or ortolan, or reed-bird, or rice-bird, between the first day of February and the first day of September, under a penalty of two dollars for each bird so killed or in possession.
Sec. 8. That no person shall expose for sale or have in his or her possession,Venison; any deer-meat, or venison, between the first day of January and the fifteenth day of August, under a penalty of twenty cents for each and every pound of deer-meat so exposed for sale or bad in possession. Sec. 9. That no person shall kill or expose for sale, or have in his orBirds not to be killed. her possession, dead, at any time any turkey-buzzard, wren, sparrow, blue-bird, humming-bird, blue jay, robin or migratory thrush, wood or 135 FORTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
Sess. II. Ch. 213, 214. 1878, song robin, martin, mockingbird, swallow, oriole, red or cardinal bird, catbird, pewit, whippoorwill, goldfinch, sapsucker, hanging-bird, woodpecker, crow black bird, or any other insectivorous bird, save as herein provided, under a penalty of two dollars for each bird killed or in possession dead. Sec. 10. That no person shall rob the nest of any wild bird of eggs orRobbing, etc., wild birds’ nests. young, or destroy such nest, unless in the necessary prosecution of farming business, under a penalty of two dollars for each egg or bird so taken, and under a penalty of five dollars for each nest destroyed.
Sec. 11. That no person shall trap, net, or ensnare any wild bird orTrapping wild birds. waterfowl, or have in possession any trap, net, or snare, with the intent to capture or kill any wild bird or waterfowl, under a penalty of five dollars for every bird or waterfowl so trapped, netted, or ensnared, and under a further penalty of twenty dollars for having in possession any such net, trap, or snare; and such net, trap, or snare shall be forfeited and destroyed Sec. 12. That no person shall at any time kill or shoot at any wild duck, wildKilling wild ducks, etc., with certain guns goose, or wild brandt with any other gun than such as are habitually raised at arm’s length and fired from the shoulder, under a penalty of five dollars for each and every wild fowl so killed, and under the further penalty of twenty-five dollars for firing such gun at any wild fowl as aforesaid, or having said gun in possession.
Sec. 13. That no person shall kill or shoot at any bird or wild fowlKilling birds at night. in the nighttime, under a penalty of twenty-five dollars for every bird or wild fowl so killed, and under the further penalty of ten dollars for shooting at any bird or wild fowl in the nighttime as aforesaid. Sec. 14. That persons in killing birds for scientific purposes, or inKilling birds for scientific purposes. possession of them for breeding, shall be exempt from the operations of this act by proving affirmatively such purposes; and the possession shall in all cases be presumptive evidence of unlawful purpose.
Sec. 15. That any person who shall knowingly trespass on the landsTrespassing on another’s lands in hunting. of another for the purpose of shooting or hunting thereon, after due notice, or notice as provided for in the following section, by the owner or occupant of lands, shall be liable to such owner or occupant in exemplary damages to an amount not exceeding one hundred dollars, and shall also be liable to a fine of ten dollars for each and every trespass so committed. The possession of implements of shooting on such lands shall be presumptive evidence of the trespass.
Sec. 16. That the notice referred to in the preceding section shall beNotice to trespassers. given by erecting and maintaining signboards at least eight by twelve inches in dimension, on the borders of the premises, and at least two such signs for every fifty acres; and any person who shall maliciouslyDestroying notices. tear down or in any my manner deface or injure any of such signboards shall be liable to a penalty of not less than five dollars nor more than twenty-five dollars for each and every signboard so torn down, defaced or injured.
Sec. 17. That there shall be no shooting, or having in possession inShooting or carrying gun on Sunday. the open air the implements for shooting, on the first day of the week, called Sunday; and any person violating the provisions of this section shall be liable to a penalty of not more than twenty-five dollars nor less than ten dollars for each offense. Sec. 18. That all acts or parts of acts now in force in the District ofRepeals. Columbia, inconsistent with the provisions of this act be, and the same are hereby, repealed, Approved, June 15, 1878.