RESERVES FOR WILD LIFE IN CANADA 247 



Ontaeio 



Algonquin Park. — This magnificent area of land covers 

 2,741 square miles, and was set aside as a provincial park in 

 1893. Within this area numerous rivers have their head- 

 waters, including the Madawaska and Petawawa, and the 

 whole region is densely timbered with pine, spruce, and 

 other conifers, and such hardwoods as poplar, birch, and 

 maple add the richness of their fall colourings to the scenery. 

 Innumerable lakes facihtate travel by canoe, and being 

 well stocked with fish they provide food for the traveller. 



The wild life in the park is protected during the whole of 

 the year, with the result that such animals as moose, red 

 deer, black bear, wolf, lynx, fox, beaver, otter, fisher, mar- 

 ten, mink, muskrat, raccoon, skunk, porcupine, ermine, 

 squirrels, and lesser animals are very abundant. Wolves 

 are killed by the park rangers whenever possible, and a cer- 

 tain quantity of fur, principally beaver, mink, otter, etc., 

 is taken on government account and sold in Toronto at 

 public sale. In 1917 the government realized over $2,400 

 from the sale of furs. With a view to supplementing the 

 meat supply, 650 deer were killed in 1917, weighing alto- 

 gether 66,215 pounds. 



The regulations respecting the park have as their special 

 objects the prevention of fire, the maintenance of health, 

 the protection of timber and vegetation generally, and also 

 of fish and wild life, and the prevention of the pollution of 

 all waters in the park. Islands and parcels of land in the 

 park are leased for sunamer cottage sites and resort purposes; 

 not more than two acres are leased to one pexson, but areas 

 not exceeding five acres may be leased for sunamer schools 

 and other similar purposes. The leases are for twenty-five 

 years and are renewable. Hunting, trapping, or taking 

 game or other animals or birds of any kind is absolutely 

 prohibited. Wolves, bears, wolverenes, wildcats, foxes, or 



