MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Vol. 1, No. 
Page U 
W-61-R-1 F. Greeley, J. Ellis 
Editing of rural mail carrier data for IBM processing was continued. 
On the basis of state-wide sex ratios obtained by the rural mail carriers, from 
35-U7 per cent of the cocks were harvested during the 1957 season; in the 1956 
season from U8—68 per cent of the cocks were killed. The fifth roadside count 
of pheasants was conducted by the rural mail carriers from April 21-26, 1958* 
Collection of road-killed pheasants for analysis of bone-ash and of 
diet was continued. The first hens that had laid eggs were brought in on April 
22. This is indicative of the lateness of the year, although biologists and 
wardens may have some road-killed hens in storage that were laying earlier than 
April 22. Other hens brought in so far have had maximum yolk sizes of about 5 mm. 
indicating the lateness of development. 
Crowing counts were continued during the month at Bellmont and Neoga. 
At Bellmont on April 8, an average of 3*1 cock calls per stop were heard, from 
2U individual cocks. On April 18, an average of 5*7 cock calls per stop were 
heard from 36 individual cocks. 
Six crowing counts were completed at Neoga during April. Average cock 
calls per stop ranged from 0.82 to 2.6 and the number of individual cocks recorded 
during the counts ranged from 8 to 2li. 
Twenty-eight cocks and 18 hens (0.61* female:1 male) were observed at 
Bellmont during the month. Thirty-two of the U6 pheasants were aged as being 
juveniles or adults by the presence or absence of bands. The age ratio among the 
cocks was 1.2:1 (Juveniles:Adults) and among hens was 5:1. At Neoge, 26 pheasants 
(17 females to 9 males) were observed# The sex ratio was (1.9 females to 1 male). 
Four marked pheasants (3 females and 1 male) were recorded. Two of the hens were 
hatched in 1955 and one in 1956 and were released on the area in 1956. The cock 
was from the first release made in 1956. 
