1915 GAME AN,D FISHERIES. 71 



There are not many fur-bearing animals. Black squirrels are more plentiful 

 than they have been for years. 



Overseer A. E. Tarry, of Toronto, reports that there was no improvement 

 in the quantity of fish caught in the lake by the licensed fishermen, if anything 

 there were less whitefish and herring taken than the previous year. Trout were 

 exceptionally scarce. Several of the fishermen had to give up fishing early in 

 the season on account of the poor catch they were procuring. 



Angling has become very poor. There are no fish to be had in Toronto or 

 Ashbridge's Bay except carp, with which the bays are overrun. He would advise 

 that the waters be rid of the carp. The suckers in the rivers and creeks were 

 not so plentiful in the spring as they were the year before according to the 

 reports of the dip net fishermen. 



Last season was a poor one for ducks and very few geese were seen. Musk- 

 rats and mink are becoming scarce owing to the Harbour Commissioners filling 

 in all the marsh land. 



Overseer Charles West, of Holland Landing, reports that the fishing was 

 better last year than in 1913, and he has every reason to believe that all kinds 

 of game fish are increasing- very rapidly, especially black bass and maskinonge. 



Shooting last fall was very poor. Ducks were very scarce, but small game 

 such as partridge, rabbits and black squirrels are increasing. He suggests that 

 mink have the same protection as muskrats, or there will soon be none to protect. 



Overseer 0. W. West, of Holland Landing, reports that black bass and 

 maskinonge are increasing in Cook's Bay and Holland River judging from the 

 amount he has seen taken in and returned to the water by the Bradford Fish 

 Company, but from what he can learn, there have been very few maskinonge 

 taken with hook and line. This he thinks is owing to the large amount of 

 small fish in the water. Whitefish are more plentiful in Cook's Bay than they 

 were some years ago, on account of the large amount of food provided in the 

 bay and river. 



Ducks and snipes are scarce owing to the very dry marsh and scarcity of 

 wild rice. A few geese went south last season. Partridge are increasing but 

 very few are killed as they are so wild. 



Hares and cotton-tail rabbits are increasing. He finds that all kinds of 

 fish and game are holding their own except woodcock, which are scarce on account 

 of the swamp and low lands becoming cultivated. Mink and muskrats show no 

 sign of decreasing. Squirrels are as plentiful as they have been for some time. 



