184 COMMISSION OF CONSERVATION 



Even now, Americans are preparing to settle in La Tuque and the 

 neighbourhood of Points Bleue in order to buy all young and old foxes 

 which will be caught in that region in the spring time. This will evi- 

 dently happen in many other places. The only way to avoid all these 

 regrettable consequences and especially to conserve our fine race of 

 black foxes would be, as it seems to "me, not to give such licenses in 

 Zone No. Two (east of the Saguenay) which in this way would become 

 a kind of National Park for the conservation of the black fox. Quebec 

 is the only province in Eastern Canada which possesses wild black 

 foxes. They are the finest in Canada and even in the whole world. 

 No wonder that the other provinces are envious and would like to see 

 us destroying that natural resource, which however, has served to form 

 the basis of the breeding stock for which Prince Edward Island* and 

 New Brunswick have become famous. 



Let us try, for the pride and renown of our province, to conserve, 

 and to increase this resource which we now possess. 



If the basic reason for regulation by the province is to collect 

 taxes for the animals taken alive, nothing prevents us from collecting 

 such taxes for the foxes taken in winter or whose fur is sold. In this 

 way, we will be able to collect that revenue for an unlimited number 

 of years, while, otherwise, at the end of two years at most, the black 

 fox will be destroyed and we will have, as it were, inconsiderately 

 expended our capital in order to create temporary revenue. 



SUGGESTIONS RESPECTING MEASURES TO BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY 

 AND BEFORE THE GRANTING OF LICENSES 



(1) At present, as only four licenses have been granted in Zone 

 No. Two (east of the Saguenay to Chateau bay) viz., to Mr. Fequet, 

 Old Fort, Richard Joncas, Natashkwan, Peter Wright, Pigou, and to 

 the undersigned, Johann Beetz, of Piastre Bale, all on the North shore 

 of the Gulf, they should be cancelled immediately. Also, hunting 

 the fur-bearing animals under any pretext in that zone, between the 

 15th of February and the 31st of October should be strictly forbidden. 



(2) All licensees shovild be notified that, under the amended law, 

 Zone No. Two is reserved by the Government. 



(3) In Zone No. Two, notices of such law should be posted in con- 

 spicuous places and distributed by the game-wardens, game-keepers, 

 fishery officials, postmasters and by the municipal councils. 



* Prince Edward Islanders claim that th^ Island foxes are natives, and that 

 they are the finest in the world. We do not express any opinion on the 

 subject. (Ed.) 



