Fig. 8. — Balanced habitat for the bobwhite during late summer, fall, and winter. Food is available in the wheat stubble; 

 the woody fencerow provides excellent protective cover. Photo by W. D. Klimstra. 



the diet of bobwhites in Illinois made up comparable 

 amounts of the diets in the adjoining states of Indiana, 

 Missouri, and Kentucky. Similarities in dietary patterns 

 were progressively less in the following order: eastern 

 states of approximately the same latitude as that of 

 southern Illinois, southern states, and a southwestern 

 state. 



Cultivated plants were extremely important in the 

 diet of southern Illinois bobwhites, accounting foi* 57.03 

 per cent of the total volume. Plants associated with 

 cultivation made up 16.68 per cent and old-field native 

 plants 17.45 per cent of the total volume. Those as- 

 sociated with cultivation occurred more frequently than 

 cultivated plants or old-field native plants. 



During a period when deep snow covered the ground. 



soybean comprised more than50per centof the bobwhite 

 diet. Cowpea and purple meadow rue were the only other 

 foods occurring in increased volumes during this period. 

 Foods associated with heavy woody cover decreased 

 sharply in per cent of total volume. 



A comparison of foods taken from the crops of bob- 

 whites killed during the first 10 days of the 31-day hunt- 

 ing season with those killed during the last 10 days 

 indicated that Korean and Japanese lespedezas, soy- 

 bean, white sassafras, smooth sumac, and slugs in- 

 creased in importance as the season progressed. A sec- 

 ond group, including corn, acorns, desmodium, and wheat, 

 was not characterized by marked change. Volumes of 

 all other major foods decreased toward the end of the 

 hunting season. 



22 



