14 THE EEPORT UPON Iso. 13 



wanted for the market. Of course, the fishermen take quite a number out of the 

 ponds, but he has yet to hear of a single catch in which they have taken anything 

 like the quantity that were placed in the ponds. 



Quail and Euffed Grouse. 



The increase in these birds has been practically nil during the year. The 

 sportsmen report that the ruined grouse appear not to have increased since- his last 

 report. This is attributed by many of them to the fact that the weather condi- 

 tions during the breeding season were not favourable for raising the young birds. 

 He would again recommend that the shooting of quail and ruffed grouse be pro- 

 hibited for another year. 



Woodcock. 



This bird is still very scarce in his district. He has only heard of a few 

 being killed. 



Black Squirrels. 



There has been a decided increase in the number of black and grey squirrels 

 in his district. It is quite a common thing, while driving along the country 

 roads, to see a black or grey squirrel running along the fences. 



Wild Geese. 



He can find no change in the habits of these birds. There are practically 

 none of them shot in his district. 



Wild Ducks. 



The district around Long Point Bay report that the wild ducks are more 

 numerous even than last year. The weather conditions having been more favour- 

 able, large bags have been fairly numerous this year. It is also reported that a 

 considerable number of black ducks have bred in the marshes about Long Point 

 Bay this season. Before the settlement of the north-west country, the black duck 

 was never known to breed in this neighbourhood. It is supposed that their being 

 disturbed so much by the country being settled in the North-West, they have 

 changed their breeding place, and are now breeding much more numerously in 

 the more southern marshes, where they are protected. He is also of the opinion 

 that the fact that the marshes about Long Point Bay are all owned by shooting 

 clubs, who limit their members' shooting, has had a beneficial effect in the in- 

 crease of the number of ducks that visit that vicinity. Where the public have 

 free access to the marshes, the ducks have no rest, and it appears to him that, 

 owing to the comparatively small amount of shooting done at them in Long Point 

 Bay, a number of ducks have changed their line of flight, so that they now get 

 the ducks that formerly in their autumn migration pursued another route. 



Fur-bearing Animals. 



The muskrat is the main fur-bearing animal in his district, and is reported 

 to be fairly numerous again this fall. The trappers found last spring that a 



