FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSIONER. 263 



hundreds wintering in this locality in fine condition, more around Honne- 

 daga lake than have ever been known before." In two districts of this 

 preserve there appears to have been a considerable mortality; in the third 

 district none at all. It is to be noted that the waters of the Bisby and 

 Little Moose districts run to the Moose river, while those of the Honnedaga 

 district run to West Canada creek. In the one watershed the mortality 

 was considerable, on the other practically nothing at all. Mr. E. H. John- 

 son, Superintendent of the Whitney preserve of 59,000 acres, writes that 

 thev have found a great many dead deer in this preserve, mostly young 

 ones and old bucks. They seem to have died mostly where they had to 

 eat balsam. They just seem to curl up and freeze to death.' We found a 

 number with their ears frozen. "I consider the mortality due entirely to 

 the severe winter." Mr. E. LeBoeuf, of Faust, reports that many died on 

 the Kildare preserve.* Mr. W. Scott Brown, Superintendent Adirondack 

 Mountain Reserve, Beede's, Essex county, reports only two dead deer 

 found in their preserve. This is the only exception as to the preserves 

 from which we have had reports. 



As I understand the matter, your attention was called to this subject 

 this year by the reported great mortality in the Moose River region, a con- 

 siderable part of which lies in the Adirondack Club Preserve, though the 

 waters drain a region some miles to the north of it. 



There is no evidence of any unusual mortality in any other part of the 

 Adirondack region. Mr. James M. Wardner, Rainbow, says that the deer 

 wintered well and not a single carcass has been found. Mr. C. H. Bennett, 

 Raquette lake, writes that the deer have not died of starvation. He has 

 visited several yards personally during February and March and found 

 them doing well. Mr. Robert Snell, Northville; Mr. J. D. Morley, Lake 

 Pleasant; Mr. E. P. Gale, Gale, St. Lawrence county; Mr. A. H. Thomas, 

 Warrensburgh ; Mr. Wm. Merrill, Baker's Mills, Warren county; Mr. W. 

 Scott Brown, Beede's, Essex county; Mr. Wm. Humes, Harrisville, Her- 

 kimer county; Mr. Englebert Fisher, Bleecker, Fulton county; Mr. D. Nor- 

 ton, Glenfield, Lewis county; Mr. F. M. Abrams, Piseco; Mr. Martin Boh, 

 Morehouse; Mr. E. LeBoeuf, Faust; Mr. Tyler M. Merior, Blue Mountain 

 Lake; Mr. F. F. Smith, Loon Lake; Mr. Oliver St. Marie, Indian Lake; 

 Mr. W. R. Howland. South Russel, St. Lawrence county; Paul Smith, Jr., 

 Paul Smith's; and Mr. Willard Boyce, Saranac Inn, all agree that the raor- 



* Mr. Willard Boyce. Saranac Inn, writes that Mr. Redford, superintendent of 

 Mr. Rockefeller's preserve, reports that twenty dead deer have been found on that 

 preserve. He seems to think that more will be found, and has men patrolin^ their lines. 



