Vol. U, No. 2 
Page 2 
early movement'of waterfowl is in great contrast to the late migration in the 
spring of I960, which was the latest migration on record. 
W-5>6-R-£ Ralph J. Ellis 
A new project leader assumed responsibility for leadership of the pro¬ 
ject on February'!. Familiarization with the project accounted for most of his 
time. Otherwise, several thousand raccoon bacula were collected from fur buyers 
throughout the state. These will be used to estimate the magnitude of the last 
reproductive season. Questionnaires for obtaining the average price paid per 
pelt were mailed to all Illinois fur buyers. 
An attempt to reduce the raccoon population on the Allerton Park study 
area in Piatt County was begun. It is believed that this operation will provide 
information on the effectiveness of control methods and the magnitude of reduction 
necessary in order to obtain effective population control. It will also make it 
possible to study population mechanics, behavior and infestations by ectoparasites 
during periods of low population. To effect population control, 80 steel traps 
were set throughout the study area on February 20. Two opossums were the only 
furbearers caught during 8 days of trapping. A paucity of sign indicated that 
the raccoon population was low. Possibly this can be attributed, at least in 
part, to heavy snowfall during the I960 mating season. Deep snow tends to 
restrict raccoon movements and thereby reduces the number of matings. If a 
female does not mate during the first estrous period, she usually goes into 
pseudopregnancy and probably does not rear young that year. 
W-61-R-U J. Ellis, W. Anderson, J. Harper 
From March 8, I960 to May 31* I960, nine groups of hen pheasants were 
fed diets containing different amounts of calcium and phosphorus. Egg production, 
egg x^eight, and shell thickness, bone weight and ash-content, body weight, and 
breast fat increased as the level of calcium in the diet increased from a low of 
0.3U - 0.37'to a maximum of 2.06 - 2.19 per cent. Different levels of phosphorus 
( 0 . 32 , 0.62, and 0.92'per cent) had no effect on the'above measurements with the 
exception of the mean, fat-free dry weight of femora, and breast fat of hens. 
Mean, fat-free dry weight of femora increased as the level of phosphorus in the 
diet increased. The amount of breast fat on hens increased with progressively 
higher levels of calcium in their diets but decreased with progressively higher 
levels of phosphorus in their diets. 
Mr.'James A, Harper assumed duties as an assistant project leader on 
February 15>, 1961, Harper received a B.S. degree from Oregon State and an M.S. 
degree from Humboldt State; both degrees were in Wildlife Management. He 
investigated the ecology of the Roosevelt elk to obtain thesis material for the 
M.S. degree. 
