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I 
those of mature animals, when measured relative to body size and to the capacity 
of the digestive tract- Young animals usually compensate for their relatively 
greater requirements for energy, as well as other nutrients, by eating more 
continuously than mature animals and also by eating highly digestible foods. 
Thus it cannot be assumed that foods adequate in digestible nutrients for mature 
animals will suffice for young, growing animals. 
In 81 feeding tr : als during spring, summer, and autumn, young cottontails 
survived longest and made the largest gains in body weight on foods that were 
palatable and most digestible. The coefficient of linear correlation between weight 
changes and kcal (kilocalories) digested per day per metabolic body size (kg^-75) 
was 0.72 (£<0.001). It is concluded that digestibility of food is an especially 
important factor in the nutrition of young cottontails. 
The Assistant Project Leader, J. C. Hanson, resigned effective June 24, 1968 . 
Jeff hopes to obtain his commercial pilot's license and perhaps continue working 
in the wildlife field as a pilot-biologist. 
