102 OYSTERS. [ART. Y2

tion of this section shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a
fine of not less than one hundred dollars and not more than
five hundred dollars for each offense on conviction before a
court of competent jurisdiction; one-half of said fine to go
to the informer and the other one-half to the Comptroller, to
be placed to the credit of the oyster fund, unless the informer
be an officer of the State fishery force. And the general
inspectors and measurers or special inspectors shall be on duty
continuously during the working or delivery hours, viz: from
6 A. M. to 8 P. M.

1900, ch. 380.

12. It shall be the duty of general measurers and inspectors
of oysters and other officers of the police force to supervise
the operation of this article and diligently to aid in the enforce-
ment of its provisions, and they or any of them are author-
ized and empowered to enter into any house or boat or any
other place where oysters may be dumped or stored, to inspect
the same at any time, and any packer, commission man or
boatman who shall refuse to open his house or boat where
oysters may be dumped or stored for the inspection thereof
by the officer whose duty it shall be to inspect the same, and
any person who shall conspire or agree with any other person
to evade any of the provisions of this article, or who shall
connive at or participate in such violation shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to the penalties pre-
scribed in section eleven of this article.

Time for Taking Oysters.

1900, ch. 380.

14. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to take
, or catch oysters or have oysters in his or their possession
between the twenty-fifth day of April and the first day of
September in each and every year; provided, that oysters
caught before the twenty-fifth day of April may be disposed
of at any time before the thirtieth day of April; nor shall it
be construed to prevent any person from taking oysters at
any time from his private beds within the State for private