GROUSE, or RED GAME
,—that species of game for the protection of which the Legislature has provided, is a native inhabitant of HILLS and MOUNTAINS, difficult of access, and much more common to the remote than the centrical parts of the kingdom. They are beautiful in the variegations of their plumage, but inferior to the PHEASANT (particularly the cock) in both feather and size. They are included with PHEASANTS and PARTRIDGES in every act for the PRESERVATION of GAME; but differ individually in respect to the time limited for the commencement and termination of the shooting season.
It is enacted by the 13th George Third, c. lv. s. 2, That no person shall kill, destroy, carry, sell, buy, or have in his possession, any GROUSE, commonly called RED GAME, between the tenth day of December and the twelfth day of August in any year, upon pain of forfeiting, for the first offence, a sum not exceeding 20l. nor less than 10l. and for the second, and every subsequent offence, a sum not exceeding 30l. nor less than 20l. one moiety thereof to go to the informer, and the other moiety to the poor of the parish: and in case the penalty be not paid, and there be no distress to be had, the offender may be committed to prison, to be kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding SIX, nor less than THREE MONTHS.
And for the further preservation of both BLACK GAME and GROUSE, or RED GAME, it is enacted, That any person who shall, between the second day of February and the twenty-fourth day of June, in any year, burn any grig, ling, heath, furze, goss, or fern, on any mountains, hills, heaths, moors, forests, chases, or other wastes, shall be committed to the house of correction for any time not exceeding one month, nor less than ten days; there to be whipped, and kept to hard labour.