THE WILD LIFE OF LAKE SUPERIOR 



15' 



Photograph by George Shiras, 3d 



AUTHOR'S CAMP, ST. IGNACK ISLAND, NORTH SHORE, ONTARIO 



Here the tents faced 160 miles of open water, where many medium-sized trout were 

 taken within a hundred yards, but most of the larger ones became the victims of a gill net 

 extending to the shore, ostensibly set for lake trout of the deeper waters (see page 187). 



This ancient fisherman was never able 

 to determine satisfactorily whether he 

 was to blame for such a breach or was to 

 be congratulated on having brought about 

 the establishment of two churches where 

 there had only been one before. 



In 1878, on receiving a larger remnant 

 of angleworms than usual, I planted them 

 in the neighborhood, with the hope that 

 in a short while the local supply would 

 meet future demands. At the end of 

 three years they became very abundant 

 in this little preserve ; so some were taken 

 to Whitefish Lake and placed in rich, 

 deep soil near old Jack's cabin. These 

 grew to extraordinary size and far ex- 

 ceeded their Pennsylvania progenitors. 

 Some reached the headwaters of near-by 

 streams and were carried down each 

 spring, until most of the region showed 

 their presence. 



THE) ROBIN BENEFITS BY THE ANGEE- 

 WORM'S INTRODUCTION 



Meanwhile Marquette had become a 

 systematic point of redistribution, and 

 for a considerable time the angleworm 

 has been found scattered along the entire 



south shore and at either end of the lake, 

 there still being about 150 miles in the 

 central portion of the north shore where 

 I have neither seen nor heard of their 

 presence. 



If the fly fishermen are no longer con- 

 cerned about the coming of the angle- 

 worm, the history of their naturalization 

 may prove of interest to the scientist. 



The robin, however, is still a bene- 

 ficiary, for these worms constitute their 

 chief diet in May and June, before the 

 coming of the berries, and are the sole 

 food of their first brood. Moreover, it 

 has been noticed in the last decade that 

 the woodcock, which once stopped briefly 

 on their migratory flight, now linger for 

 weeks in the alder thickets near the 

 streams where they can always find a 

 bountiful supply. 



The gardener, too, has found a friend 

 in this little borer, for they assist in the 

 breaking up and enrichment of the sur- 

 face soil, as the casts of this active feeder 

 contribute much toward the quality and 

 fruitfulness of the garden patch. 



The angler and commercial fisherman, 

 together with a large part of the public, 



