42 THE REPORT UPON No. 13 



larger than before. There has been some very fine catches this summer, and in 

 general the law was well observed. 



Overseer James Gillespie, of Berkeley, reports that, as stated last year, his 

 duties are more particularly confined to the prevention of netting speckled trout 

 in the small lakes and streams in the district, and seeing that the close season is 

 observed. He has every reason to believe that the law is being fairly well observed, 

 no cases of a violation having come to his notice, the people are aware that they will 

 be looked after if they break the law. 



Some of the anglers claim that the close season should be changed, so as to 

 begin September the 1st and end April 14th, claiming that more spawn is destroyed 

 in September than would be in April. No angling permits were sold by him and 

 none were called for. He believes the close season for game has been fairly well 

 observed. The notices from the Department were as usual distributed through the 

 district and were posted up so that most people knew the law. Partridge are 

 getting more plentiful and he has not heard of any break of the law with regard 

 to them, the people seem to approve of the law protecting them for another year. 

 A few deer are reported as being seen in this district this year, and many sportsmen 

 think that the killing of them should be prohibited in that county for a couple of 

 years at least. Beaver are getting more plentiful and in some cases have become 

 a nuisance by backing the water up and flooding the land. He is yet of the 

 opinion that a great deal of harm is done to hares in the spring of the year, by 

 running them sometimes for the whole day. He is not aware of any fishway in his 

 district, nor has he heard of the pollution of any stream by sawdust or mill 

 rubbish. 



Overseer F. H. Reneilley, of WarJcwoHh, reports that the fishing during the 

 past season in his division from what he can learn from different sources there 

 has been a decided improvement. As all fishing in his district is done by ang- 

 ling, he would ascribe the cause of such improvement to be, first, the abolishing 

 of the use of nets ; secondly, the better observance of the law in regard to Jack 

 light fishing. 



All fish are used by the parties who catch them. No abuses exist in his dis- 

 trict. The close seasons have^been well observed. He has impressed upon the 

 people the object and need of obeying the law" and by so doing has been able to 

 obtain a good observance of the law. No violations of the law came to his knowl- 

 edge. Mill owners have obeyed the law and he would advise that no mill refuse 

 of any kind be dumped into the river. The fish have a free passage, no fish- 

 ways in his district. 



Overseer J. H. Hess, of Hastings, reports that the law has been well observed 

 in his division from Rice Lake to Trent Bridge, and the fishing has been very 

 good, and a fine quality of fish, particularly maskinonge, and visitors who come to 

 fish report very good fishing. As to game the law, as far as he can learn, has 

 been well observed, and partridge are getting quite numerous now, and he would 

 strongly advise the killing of partridge to be prohibited for a longer period. 



Overseer Oeorge Hood, Sr., of Scugog, reports that there were a number of 

 maskinonge caught on the west side of Scugog Island this season, some of them 

 weighing as much as 17 pounds, some 10 pounds, while others were smaller. 



