1914 GAME AND FISHERIES. 49 



for the purpose of carrying on a night patrol on Loughboro Lake, taking with 

 him J. L. Sears, who is well acquainted with the lake. They grappled nearly all 

 night with no result. The three following nights they were out again but with" 

 no better result. However, on Wednesday, they noticed that the salmon had 

 begun spawning, and at about midnight they came across a large net, and by 

 daylight they had grappled 500 yards of extra heavy gill net. They could not 

 find out who had set these nets, as they waited until after daybreak when the 

 fishermen usually come for their nets, and no one appeared; either they had been 

 watching the operations of the "Mermaid," or else they intended leaving them 

 in until the following night. The launch left for Battersea with the nets, and 

 K3verseer McGuire intended returning again the following night, but he contracted 

 a heavy cold and was unfortunately unable to follow up the seizure of the nets. 

 He thinks there must have been seven or eight men operating these nets, as 

 they were all different from each other, and he intends to follow up any clues he 

 may have as soon as possible. 



Overseer George M. Slate, of Eochport, reports that the season has been a 

 good one. Black bass have been quite plentiful, but pike and maskinonge have 

 not been so good as other years. 



Black squirrel are plentiful, but ducks are scarce. 



There have been a great many guide licenses sold. 



Overseer Williarm Spence, of Athens, reports that he has kept a close watch 

 over his division, and has found that the Game and Fishery Laws have been very 

 well observed. There being only four cases of illegal fishing at the beginning 

 of the year. 



More tourists visited the lake this summer than last, and everybody agreed 

 that the salmon fishing was better than it has ever been. He thinks it would 

 be a good thing to set a limit of four salmon to be caught during one day by 

 each angler, as has been done other years. Bass fishing was about the same. 



There were plenty of ducks and partridges. He recommends that there 

 should be a limit set on the number of ducks killed by each person to stop hunters 

 coming from other places to shoot. Mink, black squirrel and muskrats are scarce. 

 He thinks there should be a close season for fox, coon, and skunk, the same as 

 there is for mink. 



Overseer J. H. Stewart, of Brockville, reports that the fishing has been better 

 this year than it has been for many years, especially black bass, pickerel and 

 maskinonge on the St. Lawrence River, 



The fishing laws have been well observed, no cases of illegal work having 

 come to his notice. 



Ducks and partridges were plentiful this fall. 



He made five convictions for illegal hunting; two for shooting deer, and three 

 for shooting ducks out of season. 



Overseer Oeorge Toner, of Gananoque, reports that game and fish have been 

 very plentiful during the past year. Many excellent game fish have been caught. 

 Both partridge and ducks are increasing in number and have been very plentiful, 

 as well as black and grey squirrels. Muskrats have not been so plentiful as in 

 former years. 

 4 G.P. 



