42 



THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



Blanc Sablon, from acting in like manner? If 

 this system of destruction has been carried on 

 since 18G7, we cannot wonder that salmon are 

 scarce. If the salmon entering the north- 

 ern rivers were allowed to carry out natural 

 laws, the Labrador]' an spawning grounds would 

 ultimately attain their native fruitfulness, and 

 the surface and estuary net-fishing in these 

 rivers become the most celebrated in the world. 

 When we visited Natashquan there stood an 

 old dilapidated shanty opposite the pools, on 

 the beams of which were recorded the fishing 

 scores of the gentlemen who were there on pre- 

 vious years. To day it has a camp building 

 almost equal to those on the Godbout or Moisic. 



THE MONTMORENCY. 

 A good Brook Trout river entering the St. 

 Lawrence about six miles east of the city of 

 Quebec, where its waters fall from a height of 

 two hundred and fifty feet, known as the " Falls 

 of Montmorency." The locality is historical 

 and a source of attraction to tourists and others 

 visiting the ancient capital. About two miles 

 above the " Falls " the scenery is primitively 

 grand; limestone rock margins its banks; 

 here it is formed into " natural steps," about a 

 foot in thickness, and for half a mile they 

 recede one above the other to the height of 

 twenty feet, as regularly as if made by the hand 

 of man. On the right bank, there is a terrace 

 of similar rock, a short distance above the 

 present bed of the river, retaining evidence that 

 long before the era of civilization, and while 

 the limestone was in a soft state, a powerful 

 stream passed over it, as indicated by the pre- 

 sence of deep pot-holes containing stones 

 formed globular by the friction of the water. 

 In the woods adjacent, are marks of early 

 agriculture, resembling plough-ridges, pro- 

 bably the work of troops encamped in the 

 locality during the war. Further up are 

 the " Saubles," where the rocks are covered 

 with sand rolled down beneath the torrent 

 of ages. From this point upwards there 



may be found some good Brook Trout, certainly 

 when the river is low in June. It is considered 

 a good day's fishing to wade from the "' Sau- 

 bles" to the " Three Falls," near the parish of 

 Laval. If a Quebecer goes for two days, the 

 first start is generally in the vicinity of the 

 " Saubles ;" he wades the stream as far as 

 " Moore's," resting for the night, and returning 

 next morning fishing down with the current to 

 the " Saubles," leaving the latter place at seven 

 o'clock, and arriving at Quebec about ten p.m. 

 There are some deep cool pools in Laval, parish 

 of Montmorency, and the fish are of larger size 

 as one proceeds towards the " Beaver Mea- 

 dows," further north. The river is an outlet 

 of Snow Lake, a large body of water in the nor- 

 thern portion of the County of Montmorency. 

 The Lake is said to contain large trout, com- 

 monly called lunge or Lake Trout, which are 

 generally fished for through the ice in winter. 



FISH PLANTING IN LAKE ONTARIO. 



The employes of the Government Fishery 

 Department at Newcastle, Ontario, are alive 

 and at work. It is stated that about 10,000 

 young salmon trout and 3,000 Californian 

 salmon fry were placed in the lake a short 

 time ago. The fishes are planted, indeed, at 

 the risk of their lives, because the little crea- 

 tures are not strong enough to take care of 

 themselves, and it is possible, where there 

 are so many pike, bass and other ravenous 

 fishes and black water snakes, that the result 

 of the planting will never be seen again. Yet, 

 we are told by the knowing ones of the Depart- 

 ment that each of these fishes will weigh from 

 four to seven pounds at the end of three or 

 four years. It is our wish to encourage fish 

 breeding, and to see that every food fish indi- 

 genous to the Dominion should have proper 

 facilities to propagate its species. There are 

 many existing natural obstacles placed against 

 the propagation of salmon in this country, 

 which the Government should make efforts to 

 take away. We are satisfied regarding the 



