1907 GAME AND FISHERIES. 21 



settled portions of our north country. In case the privilege was abused, 

 there is always the law to resort to. This would also refer to whitefish. No 

 other varieties would be likely to be found in such bays at this time of the 

 year, as the game fish would be in deep water. The introduction of maski- 

 nonge into Muskoka lakes (Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph) he believes would 

 not be prejudicial to other fish, as they are found in waters which abound 

 with bass, pickerel, etc. A rather remarkable occurrence came under his 

 notice during the past season, viz., the catching of three whitefish on trolls, 

 the artificial minnow being the bait on which all three were caught. 



The laws, as a rule, have been fairly kept, netting being the chief con- 

 travention. He has during the past summer forwarded nine of these to 

 the Department, which were confiscated. 



Special Game and Fisheries Overseer. 



Special Overseer Henry Watson, Toronto, reports that the catch of 

 all kinds of fish was about the same as in 1906, with the exception of sal- 

 mon trout, some very good catches being taken, considering the outfit of 

 the fishermen. The fishing business is carried on in a happy-go-lucky man- 

 ner by the majority engaged in it, and with very little profit, but he thinks 

 it could be made fairly remunerative if gone about in the right way. The 

 fishery laws were well observed by the fishermen, a small amount of ille- 

 gal fishing being attempted in prohibited waters. The rod fishing around 

 Toronto gets poorer every year. Some of the anglers blame it on the large 

 number of carp, but the greater number attribute it to illegal fishing, while 

 the cause of it all is the large amount of poisonous matter poured into the bay 

 through the city sewers. The refuse from the gas works is bad, and there 

 is lots of it, but the most poisonous of all is what comes from the tanneries, 

 and paint works, and the wall paper factory. If the city council would 

 stop this pollution they would do more for the -rod fishermen than by the 

 making of twenty |5,000 fish ponds. During the year he seized eight ille- 

 gal shipments of fish, six passing through Toronto going to the United States, 

 and two coining to the city. 



Regarding game. On the whole the law has been better observed than 

 ever before, very little illegal shooting having been attempted, considering 

 the number of guns and motor boats owned in the vicinity, and that for four 

 or five weeks in the spring between two and three thousand ducks made their 

 home around Toronto Bay; some of them remain with us the whole year 

 through. Out of three hundred motor boats he had trouble with only three, 

 they having been too fast for him to catch with anything he could borrow 

 or hire. All other kinds of game seem to be about holding their own. 



With reference to illegal shipments of game coming into and passing 

 through Toronto, very little of that business is now carried on, in com- 

 parison to what was done a few years ago. A portion of the falling off may 

 be attributed to the scarcity of partridge. From enquiries made from 

 returning deer hunters (and he made it a point to interview as many as pos- 

 sible), this grand game bird is very scarce all over the northern country, 

 in some parts being totally extinct. 



Overseer John Kennedy, Meaford, reports that the angling has been 

 good in his division during the past year, bass, lake trout and speckled trout 

 having been plentiful. The law has been well observed. 



Overseer C. H. Knight, Byng Inlet, reports that of four licensed fish- 

 ermen in his division, two were prosecuted for illegally fishing in close sea- 

 son, and were fined ten dollars each, and their boats and nets were confis- 



