Food and Water 



173 



RELATION OF FOOD SUPPLY TO COVER TYPES 



There is great variation in the composition of the major cover 

 types including the species that furnish food for the grouse. Some 

 types are more satisfactory than others from the standpoint of food, 

 even that suppHed by the same species. For example, plants as a 

 rule produce more fruit when in full sunlight than when partly 

 shaded. Thus grapevines are more productive when in slashings 

 or other brushy areas than in a woodland. Further, the fruit that is 

 produced inside a woodland is mostly at the top of the vines up in 

 the crown where it is rather inaccessible for grouse. 



Some vegetational types are more valuable for the food they pro- 

 duce at one season, than at another, as an example, the pure popple 

 subtype which has its greatest value in winter, for the buds, and 

 again for a time in summer, for the catkins. The value of the several 

 cover types as food or shelter producers is of prime importance when 

 considering the need for interspersion of types. The perfect mingling 

 would result in the best feeding and roosting coverts being adjacent 

 for each of the seasons. 



The major relations of food supply to cover types may be summed 

 up as follows : 



Cover type 

 Open land 



Overgrown land 



Slashings 



Hardwood woodland 



Mixed woods 



Coniferous 



Season 



Relative food-producing value 



Summer and fall 

 Winter and spring 

 Fall and summer 

 Spring and winter 

 Summer 



Fall, spring and winter 

 Winter and spring 

 Summer and fall 

 Winter and spring 

 Summer and fall 

 All year 



High 



Low 



Very high 

 Medium to high 

 Very high 

 Medium 



High to very high 

 Low to medium 

 Medium to high 

 Low to medium 

 Low to medium 



As to cover types in which various foods are produced, we may 

 make the following generalizations, the cover types being listed 

 about in the order of their productiveness: 



Fruits— overgrown land, slashings 



Nuts— hardwood woodland, mixed woods 



Seeds— overgrown land, open land, slashings 



Buds— hardwood woodland, mixed woods, overgrown land 



Leaves— hardwood woodland, mixed woods, overgrown land, slashings 



Insects— slashings, overgrown land, open land 



