50 THE EEPOET UP0X No. 13 



Overseer George Barr, of Ilarroivsmitli, reports that angling in Rock and 

 Long and Silver Lakes was fairly good, but in Fourteen Island Lake it was not 

 good this year. The fishermen eaid the water was too high, it being held back 

 by the dam. Napanee has not been as good as usual, also said to be caused by the 

 water. He thinks there is no more than enough fish in those lakes for their own 

 consumption at the present time. He thinks that if pickerel were put into 1st 

 Depot Lake, they would do well there, as there are only pike, suckers and catfish. 



Last April he had five men summoned before a magistrate for illegally tak- 

 ing otter, and, with Capt. Hunter's assistance, proved two guilty of each catching 

 an otter and disposing of s^ame to a fur dealer. Each man was fined $20 and 

 costs. He had great diflficulty in Avatching those trappers; as there were no boats 

 there that he could secure, lie had to go to Verona, a distance of seven miles, and 

 then row down three miles to the trapping ground, and there is so much drowned 

 land it is impossible to get over it in one day. There were forty trappers around 

 the drowned lands last spring. He thinks it would be advisable to license trap- 

 pers, and not allow muskrat and mink to be trapped until the 1st of March, and 

 not allow tliem to be shot at any time. The sports regretted the change from 

 1st to 15th of open se^ason for duck shooting, as, by the time the 15th arrived, 

 most of tlie ducks had taken their departure. Partridge is becoming more plenti- 

 ful since they have been protected. 



He has done his best to protect the fish and game in his district during the 

 last twelve months ending October 31st, 1910. 



Overseer W. J. Birch, of Delta, reports that the game and fishery laws have 

 been better observed in his district of Upper and Lower Beverley Lakes the past 

 year than any previous year, the reason for this being, he thinks, that the people 

 •are becoming better acquainted with the law, and that they are commencing to 

 realize the necessity of protecting game and fish. The dozen cottages that are 

 on Lower Beverly Lake in his division were all occupied most of the season, and 

 the residents report some excellent catches of both large and small mouthed bass. 

 The fishermen on Upper Beverly Lake report their catch for the year very good — 

 about the same as previous years. 



Partridge have been quite numerous this fall in that part compared with a 

 few years ago, and ducks also are more plentiful, with the exception of the wood- 

 duck, which will soon be the same as the wild pigeon — a thing of the past. They 

 were very scarce, although he thinks the black ducks and blue bills are increasing 

 a little now every year. The change from September 1st to the 15th for open 

 season lor duck is a good one, but would advise it changed again to October 1st, 

 as a great many ducks are not fit for use until then. The black squirrels have 

 been very plentiful in that district, and on account of the scarcity of nuts the 

 farmers have been greatly bothered with them carrying off their corn, and have 

 been complaining because they could not shoot them until the 15th November. 

 At that time they do not get very far away from their holes, and it makes it very 

 hard to get any. He would advise open season for black and grey squirrels the 

 last fifteen days of October. The muskrats were not so plentiful last spring, and 

 he thinks they should have more protection, also the mink. He considers that 

 two weeks is long enough time to allow muskrats to be taken — say the first two 

 weeks in April. If this was in force for even four or five years to let them in- 

 crease some, the lakes and creeks would be much freer of weeds, and more pass- 

 able. 



Overseer Peter Botting, of Fermoy, reports that since his appointment to 



