1912 GAME AND FISHERIES. 41 



Ducks are plentiful in Hay Bay, but their breeding place on Napanee River 

 was too dry this season. 



Muskrat are gaining on the trappers and are very thick this season. 



Mink and black squirrel are just about holding their ovi^n. 



Quail, grouse and woodcock are things of the past in this part of Canada. 



Question. — What has become of the quail and the wild pigeon so plentiful 

 in his boyhood days? Will somebody answer in next season's report? 



Overseer R. C. Fowler, of Emerald, reports that the commercial fisliing. has 

 not been altogether satisfactory this season, the catch being very intermittent. 

 Whitefish have been very scarce all season, and while salmon trout would gill well 

 for a time, they would seem to disappear for another space of time and then come 

 on again. Those fishermen who stayed on the whitefish grounds had a very poor 

 season, while those who went far out in the lake made fairly good money out of 

 salmon trout. Taking the season as a whole he thinks it has been a little better 

 than last year. 



He would again call the attention of the Department to the great havoc 

 wrought by the eels. According to instructions, he urged the fishermen to try catch- 

 ing these pests with set hooks, and was pleased to see a number of them comply 

 with the suggestion, and a good many were caught in this way. These eels are so 

 numerous that the catching of them with set hooks is but a small beginning in 

 the right direction. Any scheme that would aid further in their destruction 

 would be greatly appreciated by the fishermen and dealers. 



The anglers had a splendid season. Black bass have been of good size and 

 plentiful. A great many anglers visited these waters this season, and expressed 

 themselves as well satisfied, and announced their intention of returning another 

 season. 



The regulations have been, on the whole, well observed. Some local anglers 

 seemed disposed to make trouble by complaining in a very general way of the net 

 fishermen, but they would not or could not lay any specific complaint that could 

 be acted on. All holders of permits that I talked with expressed themselves as 

 well pleased with the regulations and had no complaints to make. Two charges 

 only of a specific nature were made, one resulting in the cancelling of the fisher- 

 man's license, and the other, which proved not at all of a serious character, had 

 to be dropped on account of a technicality. 



Capt. Fleming called to see him several times, and he is sure a great deal 

 of credit is due to the Captain and those with him on the "Navarch." This 

 mysterious boat appearing at the most unexpected times, seems to be a great factor 

 in enforcing the regulations. 



The trappers of muskrats had a fairly good season. These small fur-bearing 

 animals seem to be on the increase, and I hope, with proper protection, that a 

 good business may be built up. 



Black ducks have been very few and far between. The fall ducks are now 

 coming on, and he hopes will give some good shooting before the close of the 

 season. 



Overseer E. R. Fox, of Northport, reports that he has patrolled the waters of 

 his division as often as he has thought it necessary for any Overseer to do, and he 

 has found the fishermen obeying the law in every respect. The hoop-net fishing 

 has been exceedingly good, as bullheads are very plentiful. But the gill-net fishing 

 was very poor the early part of the season, as the weather being very quiet and 



