50 THE EEPOKT UPON No. 14 



He recommends that the close season for trapping muskrats be extended to 

 March 1st, and the season for trapping be from March 1st to May 1st, he also 

 recommends that a small license fee of about $2 be charged those who engage in 

 trapping. His reason for this is, that it would prevent small boys and others 

 from trapping and catching muskrats during the early part of the season when 

 the fur is not very valuable. He has found many rat houses which have been 

 cut open in January and February, and if trapping were prohibited during those 

 two months it might put some check on the practice. 



There were not as many tourists as usual visiting the district this season, 

 he thinks this is accounted for by the great increase in the number of automobiles 

 in use. 



He recommends that non-residents in his district should be obliged to take 

 out a license to fish, the same as in other districts, as, during the spring, he has 

 found as many as thirty Americans fishing in Canadian waters for bullheads, 

 and as it is impossible for him to watch all the sections both day and night, they 

 may have resorted to methods of fishing which are strictly prohibited to residents. 



Overseer James Townsend, of Long Point, reports that the law has been well 

 observed, and the season was a very successful one. He sold more permits than 

 during any previous year. 



Fishing has been fair and the prospects are good for another year for the 

 tourists say they are coming again. 



He recommends that the lake be re-stocked with bass, and that a day's catch 

 be reduced to six instead of eight. 



Some very fine catches of salmon were made during the warm weather by 

 deep trolling. He recommends that their close season be changed to October 

 instead of November, as this is their spawning season. 



Game is fairly plentiful, there are quite a number of partridges and black 

 squirrels, it is his opinion that trappers should be licensed, also guns. 



During the summer the Department of Public Works expended about $400 

 in clearing the rapids from Lyndhurst to Marble Eock, making them navigable for 

 motor boats, which is very beneficial as it will probably increase the number of 

 visitors, and it is very much appreciated by the motorists. 



Overseer J. R. Wight, of Newhoro, reports that the fishing has been good this 

 season, if anything, bass have been larger and more plentiful. The only falling 

 off in the fishing which has been reported this year is that the herring have been 

 completely fished out, this he thinks is due to the warmer weather during the 

 fall. There has been a great decrease in the number of American tourists, a large 

 number of anglers come from 'Ottawa. The high water favoured the fish this 

 year, allowing them to re^ch feeding beds which they were unable to get to last 

 year. With regard to black bass, a great many tourists catch too small fish, he 

 suggests that they should weigh at least two pounds or be thrown back into the 

 water. The lakes have been well stocked with fish, and there is not much danger 

 of their being over fished. 



He thinks the muskrat season should not open until April, otherwise it gives the 

 hunters a chance to destroy the rats' houses. It is reported that the season has 

 been a good one for game, and the people seem interested in the preservation of 

 the fish and game. Ducks have been scarce, mink were also scarce last winter, 

 but partridges and black squirrels were plentiful. 



