Beach Combers 59 



expanse of water, connected with Erie by the nar- 

 rowest of navigable channels, extends inland like a 

 great, almost circular pocket. Between it and the 

 lake are miles of narrow sand-bars, ideal coursing 

 grounds for Charadridce and Tringince, and ringing 

 the open water are belts of rice and rush, broad and 

 fretted with lily-laden channels and spangled with 

 shallow ponds, beloved of Anatince. Beyond the 

 marshy borders stands a semicircle of forest growth 

 of varying size, where, underneath great elms, cur- 

 rentless creeks choke in sheer laziness with lily-pads 

 and varied weeds and form delightful retreats for 

 wood-duck, teal, and rail. The soil of this forested 

 part finally becomes dry and elevated some distance 

 from the harbor, but in the main it is moist and 

 black and fat the kind best of all suited to King 

 Woodcock's taste. 



A list of the waders and swimmers of interest 

 to sportsmen, which were regularly or occasionally 

 taken at Rond Eau, would give a good idea of what a 

 magnificent shooting-ground the place formerly was, 

 and it must be borne in mind that a number of 

 varieties haunted the place in clouds. 



Sportsmen will readily understand what such a 

 varied game-list implied, and as it was as true of 

 Toronto Island and Lake St. Clair as of Rond Eau, 

 and possibly also true of Long Point on Lake Erie, 

 it maybe safely said that these four localities offered 

 in the past the finest mixed shooting in all Canada. 

 But, alas! the glory of nearly all has departed. 

 Long Point and the best grounds of Lake St. Clair 

 are strictly preserved, Toronto Island has met the 

 fate of all such grounds within sight of a city, and 



