Vol. 8, No. 2 
Page 6 
indicates significance at an 82 percent level of 
larger sample would have afforded a higher level 
confidence. I 
of confidence. 
believe that a 
Our data and those of Kline (1964) indicate that during severe winter weather 
cottontail rabbits can lose up to 15 percent of their body weights without adverse 
effect. In contrast, weight losses of more than 15 percent frequently result in 
mortality. 
Allen, Durward L. 1939- Michigan cottontails in winter. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 3(4): 
307-322. 
Haugen, Arnold 0. 1942. Life history studies of the cottontail rabbit in south¬ 
western Michigan. Am. Midi. Nat. 28(1):204-244. 
Kline, Paul D. 1964. Starvation and weights of cottontails. Paper presented at 
the 26th Annual Midwest Wildlife Conference, December 7-9> 
Bloomington, Indiana. 
Table 4. Month-to-month changes in the weights of cottontail rabbits on the 
Allerton Park 4-H Area, 1964-65. 
Interval between 
Trapping Periods 
Number of Rabbits 
That Lost Weight 
Number of Rabbits 
with Same Weiqht 
Number of Rabbits 
That Gained Weigh 
September to 
October 
1 
0 
23 
October to 
November 
2 
2 
22 
November to 
December 
2 
1 
26 
December to 
January 
2 
2 
18 
January to 
February 
13 
3 
0 
Table 5» Weight losses and disappearance rates of cottontail rabbits caught four 
or more times during any 10-day trapping period on the Allerton Park 4-H Area, 
September 1964 - February 1965• 
Weight Loss during 
Period: Percent of 
Original Weight 
Number of Rabbits 
Recaught in Later 
Trapping Periods 
Number of Rabbits 
Never Caught 
Aqa i n 
Disappearance 
Rate 
(percent) 
0 - 
15 
16 
5 
24 
16 - 
22 
2 
4 
67 
