644 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 279

of oyster tax, a copy of their manifest showing the number of
bushels on board on arrival of steamer and to whom consigned,
and the special inspectors are charged with" the duty of seeing
that the proper returns are made for the purpose of this sec-
tion by such commission merchant or retailer, and in perform-
ance of their duty the said special inspectors are authorized
and directed to visit places where oysters caught within the
limits of the State of Maryland in less than cargo lots are sold,
and get from such sellers a statement under oath as to the num-
ber of bushels sold from time to time and return to the general
measurers and inspectors a certificate thereof to be forwarded
to the Comptroller as required in the case of certificates for
cargoes, and the payments of the amounts so found to be due
shall be similarly enforced. All ovsters found within the

State of Maryland shall be presumed to have been caught
within the limits of the State of Maryland and the burden of

proof shall be upon anyone claiming to the contrary to estab-
lish his said claim by clear and satisfactory evidence. All such
general measurers and inspectors or special inspectors may be
removed at any time by the Conservation Commission for
neglect or malfeasance in office. The said Commission shall
furnish to each of the said special inspectors certificates in
book form, supplied with carbon paper, so that each of the
said triplicate certificates shall be exactly the same; the form
of the certificates shall be as follows:

......................... 19...

I hereby certify that I have this day inspected for captain
......................... schooner.................. a

cargo of oysters caught within the limits of the State of Mary-
land, sold to............................ and found the

same to contain............ bushels of merchantable ovsters

and..................bushels of unmerchantable oysters.

(Signed).............................

The provisions of this section shall apply to all oysters
caught within this State and about to be shipped outside of
the State, and the tax shall be collected from the captain of the
vessel or the owner of the cargo in all cases where oysters are
about to be shipped out of the State. The inspection tax on
oysters shall attach irrespective of actual sale of oysters and
shall be effective prior to shucking and shipping same.

Section 71. The special inspectors provided for in Section
70 of this Article shall likewise inspect in the manner set
forth in said Section 70 all oysters caught beyond the limits