1909 GAME AND FISHERIES. 41 



partridge are quite numerous in the woods; but he is glad they are still protected, 

 for this year they will get a start on the hunters now. 



In regard to the close season he says they are well kept. He has no reason to 

 complain at all. ^ 



Overseer William Collins, of Strathroy, reports that there is one sawmill on 

 that ^ream, but the owners do not let their sawdust into it. The catch of fish 

 was good thia season. The anglers have had a good season. One man and his son 

 caught one hundred and seventy pike and pickerel. This season there is not many 

 bass got here, but the carp are in abundance. The quail have had a good season. 

 The weather was fine for them. There are a good many partridge in the swamps 

 if they are let alone, and there are a good many woodcocks, and squirrels are 

 abundant. 



Overseer Arthur Corsant, of Masonville, reports that in his dirtrict there are 

 no licenses issued. The fish caught in his division were mostly suckers and rock 

 bass. There were not so many black bass caught this season. He notices a 

 decided decrease in speckled trout in his district. He would recommend that 

 the catching of trout be prohibited for a period of two years, as the streams have 

 been overfished from what he can learn, and from his own knowledge the total 

 catch in his division would not exceed 2,000 pounds. There is an improvement 

 in the fishwa3's in his division since his last report. He would recommend that the 

 Government compel mill owners to construct proper fishways. The only game in 

 his division are rabbits, muskrats, black squirrels and a very few partridges. The 

 closing of this year against shooting of partridge was a good act, and he thinks if 

 it was for two or three years it would be better. The close seasons have been very 

 well observed. Only one violation of the Fisheries law came to his knowledge, that 

 was catching bass under size. 



Ov&rseer J. A. Cunningham, of Maynooth, reports that the catch for the season 

 of spucklfd trout was about 1000 lbs., owing to Lake St. Peter being prohibited 

 there was a slight decrease. The catch of grey trout was about 500 lbs. No 

 abuses exist that he knows of. No fishways in his district. Partridge are doing 

 well under the two years' protection. Deer were not so plentiful as in 1908. Ow- 

 ing to the large destruction by wolves last winter he made two trips to the Big 

 Opeorgo Lake in Algonquin Park; there he saw wolf tracks in every quarter, and 

 as people are not allowed to carry rifles or use poison he soon discovered the cause 

 of the trouble with the wolves in the upper section of this district. Wolves in the 

 park, as well as other animals, increase rapidly, and he understands there are 

 22 Townships. He asks if it is any wonder that those brutes are coming down here 

 in packs every winter destroying the deer and the settlers' sheep and calves. He 

 would offer the suggestion that the Park Rangers be authorized to destroy those 

 animals in whatever way they can without bounty, and until that is done those rav- 

 ages here will continue. 



Overseer Edward Fleming, of Hastings, reports that the fish were in the marshes 

 last spring as early as usual, and he is certain there were not any fish speared below 

 Hastings, on the Trent River to- the Narrows, about nine miles dovra. 



In Hastings the law was well observed; there are no nets allowed in the river 

 and he thinks it is a good Act, for the 'lunge and bass are more plentiful and much 



