Vol. 5, No. 10 
Page 4 
Roadside surveys of study areas in Jasper, Cumberland, and Ford counties were 
started in late October to provide indices of cottontail abundance. When analyzed 
with information on land use, cover association, age composition, and sex ratios, 
the rabbit density data will provide a basis for evaluating rabbit-environment 
relationships. 
5. Responses of Bobwhites and Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation 
J. A. Ellis, R. J. Ellis 
An initial attempt to capture prairie chickens by the nightlighting method 
was made October 20, 1962, near Newton, Illinois. At least 52 prairie chickens 
were flushed when 106 acres of stubble, hay, and soil bank habitat were cruised^ 
no quail were observed. Six of the 52 prairie chickens were captured, marked, and 
then released. Some modifications of the nightlighting technique should render it 
more useful for capturing prairie chickens in the future. 
The six captured prairie chickens included two juvenile females, one adult 
female, and three adult males. The adults averaged 2.3 lbs and the juveniles 
averaged 2.0 lbs in weight. Most of the prairie chickens observed were roosting in 
mixtures of grass, clover, and weeds, 16 to 30 inches tall. Fields with shorter 
cover yielded few or no prairie chickens. 
