Vol. 5, No. 1 
Page 3 
Table 2.—Reproductive condition of 279 minks examined at the Bauer Fur Com¬ 
pany, southern hunting zone, and the Perardi Brothers Fur Company, northern hunting 
zone, during the 1961-62 trapping season. 
Period 
Per Cent Males With Sperm 
Per Cent Females With 
Stimulated Uteri 
Southern 
Zone 
Northern 
Zone 
Southern 
Zone 
Northern 
Zone 
Dec. 11-20 
5.9(34)* 
0.0(20) 
9.5(21) 
0.0(8) 
Dec. 21-31 
0.0(6) 
0.0(15) 
33.3(6) 
0.0(10) 
Jan. 1-10 
24.6(69) 
0.0(21) 
24.2(33) 
10.0(10) 
Dec. 11-Jan. 10 
17.4(109) 
0.0(59) 
20.0(60) 
3.6(28) 
* Numbers in parentheses indicate sample size. 
On the basis of the presence of sperm or uterine stimulation, table 2, it 
appears that minks in the southern zone breed earlier than those to the north. 
Only 1.2 per cent of the minks from the northern zone showed signs of becoming 
sexually active during the trapping season, although 18.4 per cent of the minks 
from the southern zone were so characterized. 
6. Waterfowl Inventory F. C. Bellrose 
Aerial surveys of waterfowl in the Illinois and Mississippi River valleys and 
other areas in central Illinois were made during January in connection with the 
annual nation-wide inventory of North American waterfowl. 
Duck populations in Illinois were reported at the lowest point in the two de¬ 
cade history for inventorying waterfowl in winter. This low wintering population 
was a result of reduced duck populations in the Mississippi Flyway and severe 
weather conditions. The unusually low temperatures and snow caused mallards, 
black ducks, and divers to depart in large numbers on two occasions in December. 
Waterfowl populations found the second week in January weres mallards, 60,500; 
black ducks, 2,800; pintails, 160; canvasbacks, 1,000; lesser scaups, 3,500; 
ring-necked ducks, 110; goldeneyes, 10,000; mergansers, 19,900; and Canada geese, 
158,700. 
7. Wildlife - Insecticide Relationships R. W, Lutz 
During January, 1962, 392 pheasants (190 males and 202 females) were observed 
on the Donovan area indicating a ratio of 94 males per 100 females. Twelve quail 
coveys ranging in size from 12 to 30 birds were located on the Donovan area. 
