Maybugs
A cruel pastime is banned.
From the Mercure, May 1812, p. 1251.
The Town and Parish Constables of St Peter Port give warning that anyone found or reported as having flown Maybugs will be fined as follows, as per order of the Royal Court:
25th May 1812, before Pierre De Havilland, Esq., Bailiff, Jurats present &c.,
The Crown Officers have reported to the Court that Children are in the habit of flying Maybugs by attaching a string to them with a Pin. In response the Court, wishing to put a stop to such a cruel practice, forbids the flying of Maybugs in this way, on pain of a fine of three livres tournois, half to go to the Crown and half to the informer. And this Order is to be cried at the Market and put up in the usual places so that no-one can claim ignorance of it.
JAMES AGNEW, Deputy King's Greffier.
Gazette de Guernesey, 18th May 1811.
The brightest ornament the English Laws or indeed the British Peerage can boast of, Lord Erskine, has lately directed his atttention to the many cruelties still practised upon animals. [...] A humble individual may surely labour in the same vineyard, even tho' he should turn his attention to offences more petty in their nature and committed by junior miscreants. What I wish, particularly to allude to is, the flying of COCKCHAFERS at present so shamefully frequent in this island. [...] The writer however fervently hopes that the Royal Court will take the subject in to consideration and prevent the scandalous impaling of these unfortunate insects. [Extracts.]
Guernsey Folk Lore p. 507 tells us that the parishioners of the Vale were known as Ann'tons, or Cockchafers.