Vol. 7, No. 6 
Page 5 
The role of weather as a factor responsible for annual fluctuations in rabbit 
abundance was not satisfactorily explained by the available data. In general, 
higher densities of cottontails on study areas in the spring tended to follow 
winters of higher precipitation and/or lower temperature. Also, the decrease in 
numbers of rabbits from fall to spring tended to be greater in years when the 
precipitation during the preceeding April-May period was above normal and/or 
temperatures during that period were below normal. However, fall populations 
tended to be higher in years following above normal precipitation and/or below 
normal temperature in the late spring than in years with average or below average 
temperature and rainfall in late spring. Thus, it may be that the high mortality 
from fall to spring following years with below normal temperature and/or above 
normal precipitation in late spring is a reflection of abundance rather than a 
manifestation of some direct effect of April-May weather. The data also suggested 
an inverse relationship between abundance of rabbits in the fall and amount of 
precipitation in late summer. 
James A. Bailey joined the staff on June 22 as project leader. Jim, a 
native of Chicago, received his B. S. degree in June 1956 from Michigan College 
of Mining and Technology, and his M. S. degree in June 1958 from New York State 
College of Forestry. He attended the University of Michigan in 1958-59 and 
the New York State College of Forestry again from 1962 to June 1964, where he 
expects to receive the Ph.D. degree after completion of his thesis. Jim's Ph.D. 
research was on the crude protein content of deer browse in the Adirondacks. 
