88^ THE REPOET UPON Xo. 13 



There have been no cases reported of any violations of the Game Laws. He 

 distributed all the copies of the Game and Fishery Laws which were sent to him. 

 His opinion is that they should be sent out freely to the people, as they call daily 

 for them. The "Journal," one of the local papers, has published the changes in 

 the law quite freely, which is a good thing, as the people seem anxious to be 

 posted regarding the law. He is satisfied that the close seasons have been well 

 observed, and this accounts for the increase, both in game and fish. 



Overseer Matthew Cox, of Iloive Island, reports that he has not found any 

 illegal fishing being done in his district this year. The pike do not seem to be so 

 plentiful as in other years. 



The duck hunting is good, but there is no plover around those parts. 



Overseer James A. Fraser, of Prescott, reports that there was only a fair 

 amount of fishing done this year in his district. Bass was very scarce. He went 

 down to Lancaster in February and seized five spears, and two at Bains ville, 

 which he destroyed. In April, he went up the river and seized four nets near Jones 

 Creek, and two nets and a canoe east of Eockport, some of them being from 

 American side. He also had a chase after an American who was shooting ducks, but 

 could not catch him. On July 16th, he seized a set line from an American, and 

 on August 21st, seized one lot blocks and lines, and fined the man $5; also fined 

 another $5 for fishing for minnows without a license. He finds it hard to catch 

 these poachers, as they keep tab on one pretty well. The public are very good 

 about telling one that so and so happened, after it is all over, but when asked for 

 names, they are dumb and will not tell any more, being afraid of their names 

 being known. 



The gun is being used pretty freely along tliat part of the St. Lawrence, and 

 from reports, from different parties he has met, he finds there is some poaching, 

 which is hard to stop. A policeman who was crossing the river on the ferry saw 

 a man open his valise when he arrived on the American side and show some friends 

 a fine lot of partridges he had shot or bought, and was laughing over the nice 

 way he got away with them. On the other hand, some of the citizens will take a 

 lot of birds when they get a chance, for a gentleman told him in the way of a 

 complaint that a man shot 160 ducks in one day, which he thought was too much. 

 He also heard of a man shooting a similar quantity of partridge, which looks as 

 if there should be a limit for those two kinds of birds. 



Overseer James McNairn, of Iroquois, reports that all fish in general, except 

 bass, were as plentiful as in previous years. The cause of the scarcity in the bass 

 • is that the spawn is being eaten up by suckers and mudpouts, which he has seen 

 them doing several times. 



No fish were exported, all being used for home consumption. There were 

 about two tons consumed. 



The only abuse that exists is the allowing of suckers and mudpouts, which he 

 thinks should be removed from the river and feeding grounds. 



The close seasons are strictly observed, and all precautions taken to see that 

 they are. 



No violations of the Act came to his knowledge. 



There are no mills dumping sawdust into the river. 



There are no fishways in his district. 



With regard to game. Partridge are more plentiful than they have been for 

 several years, which is the result of being protected for some years. 



