54 
during migrating season. Doves and rabbits are very plentiful. I have not 
seen but one pair of pheasants in the county and this pair raised a brood of 
thirteen this year. All the rivers and their tributaries in this county are set 
aside as fish preserves, being about 175 miles of river front in this county. 
Since these streams have been protected from seining, netting, trapping and 
dynamiting, hook and line fishing has been greatly improved, and most peo- 
ple are highly pleased. Song and insectivorous birds seem to be increasing, 
many people are becoming interested in their protection. Civic societies, 
schools and other organizations are giving us considerable help in the matter 
of bird protection. ) 
Coles and Cumberland Counties. L. E. Monfort Reporting. The spring 
and summer of 1916 has been an unusually favorable season for birds to nest, 
hatch and raise their broods. As a result of these favorable conditions we 
see a great increase in all kinds of game and birds, including song and 
insectivorous birds. More attention is being given by the people to observing 
the law and stricter enforcement of the same also has a beneficial effect. As 
a rule sportsmen fully realize the benefit of strict protection of game and 
fish, and instead of being antagonistic they are cooperating with us in enfore- 
ing the law. In these two counties we have three streams and one small lake 
which have been set aside as fish preserves, namely: Kaskaskia River, Em- 
barrass River, Little Wabash River and Paradise Lake. Since seining and 
netting have been prohibited in these waters hook and line fishing has been 
good. The people as a rule are heartily in favor of maintaining these waters 
as fish preserves. 
Champaign and Vermilion Counties. C. H. Herriott Reporting. It has 
been my aim to carry on the work and give substantial results in protecting 
and in the conservation of game and fish of this territory, and to keep within 
the limits of cost as laid down by the State Game and Fish Commission. I 
find that the people generally are taking kindly to the provisions of the laws 
governing this department, and as an evidence of the same I cite the small 
number who have been arrested for violating the law. I am constantly in the 
fields and woods and along the highways, and try to keep in close touch with 
the people. It is a well known fact that the farmers are taking more interest 
in conserving birds to-day than ever before. They are learning the economic 
value of their feathered friends. During the severe cold and sleety weather 
last winter many farmers scattered feed: to the birds on their premises and 
no doubt saved many from starving and from perishing from the cold by 
fixing places for their protection. Although there is more interest taken to 
protect the birds, yet I find they are not increasing at a very rapid pace, due 
to the fact that the places for nesting and caring for their young are becom- 
ing very scarce. Rabbits seem to be increasing very rapidly. Prairie 
chickens are very scarce, although there seems to be a small increase over 
last year in some parts. Quails also show some increase, and are doing well. 
Squirrels are numerous in wooded districts. Pheasants are few in number. 
Seems to be large increase in fur bearing animals. Very few water fowls 
and shore birds. As a rule fishermen and farmers near the streams and 
other waters where fish abound, want the fish protected from seiners, netters 
and trappers, and in Vermilion County there is a strong fish protective asso- 
ciation which gives much aid and assistance to the department in fish pro- 
tection. As there has been protection of fish during the past three years the 
result is showing a very satisfactory increase. During the past season there 
has been a lot of rescue work, stranded fish taken from sloughs and small 
ponds along the streams and put back into the main streams. 
Effingham, Fayette and Jasper Counties. C. E. Pearson Reporting. These 
counties have a great deal ot timber land, are more or less rough, having 
- three good fishing streams running through them, namely: Kaskaskia, Little 
Wabash and Embarrass Rivers. There are numerous smaller streams, most 
of which are tributaries to these streams, and abound in fish of all kinds 
usually found in the waters of the State. There is a noticeable increase 
of all kinds of fish in the Kaskaskia River since netting and trapping have 
been prohibited under action of the department setting it aside as a fish pre- 
serve. Hook and line fishermen are enjoying some fine catches of every 
