1912 GAME AND PISHEEIES. 35 



were running up the river in such numbers that the people were catching them off 

 shore with small minnow nets, same as are used for catching bait. The fishing 

 tliTOugh the ice on the lake was very good out from Eidgeway this winter. 



The wild duck have been in the river at the foot of Navy Island and the lower 

 parts of the Niagara River very early this year, w^here other years the season is 

 closed for shooting ducks, and the game is very scarce. The close season has been 

 well observed with no violations. Squirrels are becoming more plentiful, and the 

 English pheasants are doing well in Willoughby, near Chippawa Creek, where the 

 farmers take great care and protect their farms from violations of Game Laws and 

 report to the overseers. In Humberstone the squirrels are doing well. There were 

 some violations by people unknown and reported to the Department by the Humber- 

 stone Gun Club. He was sent by the Department to the Gun Club for information 

 regarding the squirrels that had been hunted out of season, but there was no clue to 

 the offenders. After he called at Humberstone the shooting stopped. It is quite 

 evident the law was violated, and the Humberstone people assist the overseer in 

 trying to protect the game in that section. 



Overseer John FeaiJierston, of Benwicli, reports: As a general rule the fish- 

 ing has been exceptionally good, both for gill nets and pound nets. The tug men 

 report large catches of whitefish, herring, perch and blue pickerel, and the tugs 

 have been in commission nearly the whole season. No infractions of the law among 

 the tug fishermen licensed in his district have come to his notice ; but he is of the 

 opinion that several American tugs fish in those waters sometimes as close as eight 

 miles from shore. This happens usually very early in the season before the patrol 

 boats get down to Lake Erie, which he thinks could be easily overcome by one of 

 our boats laying up nearby the bay at Amherstburg or Ivingsville. 



The pound net fishing has also been very good. During the early spring white- 

 fish were very plentiful. Our fishermen are unanimous in the opinion that the 

 quantity of fry annually put into the lake of late years is responsible for the im- 

 proved state of the fisheries, and are very anxious and willing to do all in their 

 power to assist the officials from the hatcheries in the performance of their duties. 

 Herring were greatly above the average catch for the pound nets. Blue pickerel 

 were also plentiful ; unusually large numbers of white bass were along the shore 

 during the months of July, August and iSeptember, and owing to the protection 

 given to the black bass they also appear to be increasing in numbers. 



He is pleased to say that there is a general and marked improvement in the 

 observance of the law and the development of the fisheries in that district, and in 

 consequence he cannot offer many suggestions to improve the condition, with but 

 one exception, viz., the absence of any regulation dealing with the size of herring, 

 blue pickerel and perch, which he has observed as being shipped unusually small 

 in size, some as small as 3 oz., and he would earnestly recommend prohibiting the 

 taking of such small fish from the water. 



The Game Laws so far have been well observed. Ducks are found in about the 

 ordinary numbers. 



Quail are not so numerous as in former years; lack of cover enables hunters 

 with dogs to practically annihilate bevies of quail when found. 



Overseer H. A. Henderson, of Pelee Island, reports that during the last year 

 the catch of fish was very light; the same conditions exist as of late years — ^that 

 is, that the fishing industry is not so vigorously prosecuted. There is no fishing 

 done in his district except with gill nets. The spring season for angling was very 



