Vo 1. 9, Noi 8 
Page 6 
The rabbits, weighing between 141 and 386 grams, were livetrapped near 
P Urbana. They were handled in the same manner as described in the abovementioned 
reports, except that all trials were terminated after 10 days. Daily food 
consurr.pt ion, survival times, and changes in body weight were recorded for 
rabbits on single-species diets (Table 5)* Nine plant species were tested: 
three domestic grasses, three domestic legumes, and three wild forbs. 
The domestic grasses tended to be poorer foods than either the domestic 
legumes or the wild forbs. Two animals which died and one of two which failed 
to gain weight during the experiment were fed grasses. The appearance of fecal 
pellets suggested that bluegrass and orchard grass were less digestible than all 
other foods tested. Bluegrass appeared to be least palatable and perhaps least 
nutritious of the grasses, according to daily consumption and weight-change records 
(Table 5)* 
Among the legumes, alfalfa and red clover appeared to be palatable and 
nutritious; sweet clover appeared less palatable and perhaps less nutritious. 
Among the wild forbs, chicory and prickly lettuce were consumed in greater amounts 
than any other foods and produced good weight gains, while Rugel's plantain 
appeared less palatable, yet nutritious. 
Of 17 animals in this experiment, all but two survived for 10 days and all 
but two gained y.'eight during the trials. This was in marked contrast to the 
midsummer trials reported last year, indicating that nutritional problems are 
unlikely among wild conttontails during early summer. 
Table 3* Results of feeding trials conducted with young cottontails, April 21 - 
May 20, 1966. 
Sing1 e-species 
Diet 
Number 
of 
Rabbits 
Tested 
Average Daily 
Consumption 
of Food 
(% of body wgt.)* 
Average 
Survival 
Time, Days^ 
(max.:10 days ) 
Average Daily 
Gain in 
Body Weight 
(% of orig inal 
wgt. *) 
B1ueg rass 
Poa sp. 
2 
37 
10.0 
1.0 
Orchard grass 
Dactyl is qlomerata 2 
46 
9-5 
2.2 
T i mothy 
Phleum pratense 
2 
42 
9.0 
2.2 
Alfalfa 
Medicaqo sativa 
2 
42 
10.0 
4.6 
Red Clover 
Trifolium pratense 2 
58 
10.0 
3-3 
Sweet Clover 
Melilotus sp. 
2 
28 
10.0 
0.4 
Prickly lettuce 
Lactuca scariola 
2 
62 
10.0 
3-0 
Ch i cory 
Cichorium intybus 
2 
65 
10.0 
3.8 
Rugel's plantain 
Piantaqo ruqelii 
1 
27 
10.0 
2.6 
* Food consumption is expressed as the average fresh-weight of food eaten daily, 
relative to the body-weight of the animal, 
t babbits were removed from the experiment after 10 days, 
t Original weight = weight at beginning of test. 
