1911] The Ottawa Naturalist. 103 



imported from the United States, when the natural conditions 

 in this country are excellent for producing all that is required 

 for home consumption. The Canadian output has decreased 

 from 64,646 bbls. in 1882 to 38,535 bbls. in 1909, in spite of the 

 fact that prices have risen 240 per cent, in the past 20 years. 

 This degeneration of the industry is due very largely to the ' 

 long-standing dispute over jurisdiction between the Provincial 

 and Dominion authorities, which has left the oyster fisherman 

 in such a state of uncertainty as to his holdings that he will not 

 undertake the artificial cultivation of oysters. The article re- 

 lates the experiments of other oyster-producing countries and 

 shows that the only means of rehabilitating the industry is by 

 definitely settling the jurisdictional dispute so that oyster 

 culture may be confidently engaged in by private individuals. 

 Mr. C. W. Gauthier, a practical fisherman, in an article on 

 "Whitefish in the Great Lakes," strongly advocates the estab- 

 ment of more hatcheries for the artificial propagation of that 

 species of fish. Maps are reproduced showing the area frequented 

 by whitefish in each of the Great Lakes. Following these, is a 

 statistical article on Fish Culture in Canada, which points out 

 that last vear only fifty-six per cent, of the appropriation voted 

 for this purpose by the Dominion Parliament was expended. 

 In other articles the fisheries of Manitoba, Prince Edward Island 

 and British Columbia are described and measures necessary for 

 their conservation suggested. 



In the section on Game there is a full description of the 

 game and game fisheries in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, 

 Quebec, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. This portion of 

 the report will be found of especial value to the sportsman in 

 search of good hunting and fishing territory. At the end of 

 the section a statistical article gives the amount of revenue 

 derived from the fishery and game resources of each province. 

 The Minerals section of the report opens with a summary 

 of the Provincial and Dominion laws and regulations respecting 

 mining. An exhaustive article on the conservation of mineral 

 resources, by Mr. W. J. Dick, Mining Engineer for the Commis- 

 sion, takes up each mineral of economic importance in Canada, 

 showing the extent of the deposits, the consumption, and the 

 methods of mining; and recommends measures for conservation. 

 Mining accidents in Canada and in foreign countries are fully 

 dealt with in another article and suggestions are advanced 

 pointing out how the heavy death rate in Canada from this 

 cause may be reduced. 



The volume is perhaps the most thorough and complete 

 record of investigation and research that has ever been issued 

 by any government in Canada. 



