84 THE EEPOltT UPON l<o. 14 



Wild ducks are the only game birds that are allowed to be sold, and some 

 people argue that they should not be sold, but he is of opinion that it would not 

 do to change this, as, in the first place, the duck is a migratory bird, and in 

 the second, about 7 per cent, of the people shoot, and it would be unreasonable 

 to keep the 93 per cent, from procuring them. 



It is beginning to be understood more generally now that the game does not 

 belong solely to those who take out licenses to go hunting, but that 95 per cent, 

 of it belongs to the people who do no shooting or killing, and when it is decided 

 to protect any particular bird or animal it is the decision of those people which 

 will prevail. The true sportsman will concur, but the man who shoots for the 

 sake of killing all he can will object. But the game bird does not belong to him. 

 and the question of what this class of hunter will agree to in the line of real con- 

 servation is now only a matter of academic interest. Through their greed 

 and selfishness in shooting to the limit and beyond the heedless hunters of this 

 land have brought the once bountiful supply of game to an alarmingly low point. 

 The way to bring back the birds is to stop them being killed, and if this spells 

 prohibition, then prohibition let it be, for the game birds must and shall be 

 saved. 



There is a drove of five deer in the County of Halton which have been there 

 since spring, and have been seen several times in the woods near Lake Medad. 



He was obliged to fine a man $^0 for shooting a deer in the Township of 

 Ancaster, without a license, last November. 



YoEK County. 



Overseer Albert E. Tarry, of Toronto, reports that the fishermen of Lake 

 Ontario have informed him that the fishing has been very poor, and continues to 

 get worse. There have been very small catches of trout and whitefish made, and 

 no herring at all of any account. Angling has been equally poor. 



There seems to be plenty of carp, but very little fish of any other species. 



The close season has been very well observed in his district. There have been 

 four convictions made for illegal fishing. 



Ducks are not so plentiful as last year; he does not know how to account for 

 this. Muskrats are practically extinct, and there have been very few mink caught. 



There have been two convictions made under the Game Act and one under 

 the Insectivorous Bird Act. 



Overseer Robert Tillett, of Roach's Point, reports that the bass fishing was 

 not very good at the beginning of the season, but there were some good catches 

 made later. There seemed to be plenty of whitefish and salmon, but very few 

 maskinonge and pickerel. 



He did not come across any Americans this year. He has taken up some 

 nets but could not find who had set them. He thinks the spearing license in the 

 winter a good thing for the protection of the fish during the close season. 



There are plenty of wild ducks and geese, and partridges are quite numerous. 

 Black squirrels are becoming more plentiful each year. 



The Fish and Game Laws have been well observed on the whole. 



Overseer C. West, of Holland Landing, reports that the Game and Fishery 

 Laws have Keen well observed in his division, and he has had no occasion to prose- 

 cute anyone. 



