30 



and consequently fell througli. Whoever was the cause 

 of its failure, is little aware of the serious evils inflicted by 

 the non-passing of the Bill introduced by the Member 

 for Chicoutimi. 



Let us suppose that within this vast district there are 

 but 400 breeding fish, which, escaping the net and spear, 

 deposit their spawn in safety in the sands of these and 

 other rivers; which would average about 15 to 20 fish for 

 each river, and which is a very low calculation for the 

 breeding fish in this locality. Now it has been proved 

 that the smallest of the breeding fish deposit 10,000 ova 

 each. Again, nine-tenths are given to destruction, caused 

 by freshets, and by the enemies of their own kind, conse- 

 quently 1000 are saved from each fish. We may now 

 presiime that they are seeking the briny waters of the 

 ocean, — and here again destruction ensues ; for although 

 the thousand to each fish leave the rivers, yet they do not 

 all return — one in four is lost, or 25 per cent, on the whole, 

 consequently the number and value of the salmon for this 

 district may be thus calculated : The 400 fish give, after 

 destruction caused in the river, 400,000 (one thousand to 

 each fish) ; loss while on their migration tour, 25 per cent., 

 thus decreasing the number to 300,000 ; and as few per- 

 sons would object to give 2s. 6d. for a fine salmon, seeing 

 that the H. B. Company charge 5s. for each fish, large or 

 small, the value of the fish within the district of Ance au 

 Sablon and the Saguenay appears to be from the calcula- 

 tion thus made £37,500. Persons who understand the 

 subject, will say that the estimate is a very low one in- 

 deed. I admit it ; nor do I hesitate to assert that, with 

 the necessary care, the number, and consequently the 

 value, could be considerably increased. 



