Vol . 12, No. 4 
Page 2 
plots), alfalfa, and all other seeded and unseeded species except brgme, accounted 
for only a little more than 20 percent of the top cover on plots 6 years of age. As 
the vegetation on plots becomes increasingly monotypic with increased age of the 
plots, it may be possible to assess the influence of these vegetative changes on 
pheasant nest densities. 
3* Factors Inf1uencinq Pistribution and Abundance of Pheasants W. L. Anderson, 
D. R. Vance 
Recent investigations have revealed that several chemical elements are more, or 
less, abundant in grit from Neoga (poor pheasant range) than in grit from Sibley 
(good range). But does the chemical--and perhaps physical--makeup of grit from these 
areas affect pheasants differently? To partially answer this question, 12 juvenile 
hen pheasants were caged individually and fed grit from Neoga or Sibley (in amounts 
approximating rates of consumption) and corn (ad 1ibiturn) for 14 weeks beginning 
October 23, 1968. Six hens each were given grit from the respective areas. Amounts 
of grit consumed, amounts of com consumed, and body weights of the hens were deter¬ 
mined at 2-week intervals. At the end of the experiment, the hens were sacrificed 
and dissected to determine weights of sternal muscles, fat deposits, and internal 
organs. 
Only seven hens (four fed Neoga grit and three fed Sibley grit) survived the 
experiment. Four died, apparently because they did not take grit or corn, or both, 
and one died from injuries sustained while thrashing about in her cage. The only 
discernible difference between the surviving hens fed Neoga grit and those fed Sibley 
grit was in the amount of grit consumed. The four hens fed Neoga grit consumed, 
respectively, 58 , 63 , 66, and 72 grams, whereas the three hens fed Sibley grit con¬ 
sumed 42, 44, and 45 grams. Although the data are meager, this finding indicates 
that (1) Neoga grit is more palatable than Sibley grit, or (2) the hens fed Neoga 
grit had to consume more grit to fulfill their minimal mineral requirements than the 
hens fed Sibley grit. We believe the latter interpretation is the more logical. 
4. Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation J. Ellis, P. Matthews 
During the hunting seasons (1963-68, 2,949 quail wings (1,677 from Forbes and 
1,272 from Dale) were collected and aged. Sample sizes from Forbes ranged from 99 to 
545 birds, with age ratios varying from 4.1 to 7*1 juveniles per adult. Sample sizes 
on Dale ranged from 110 to 347 birds and age ratios from 4.8 to 8.2 juveniles per 
adult. These ranges in age ratios did not deviate significantly from the mean on 
either area for the 6-year period. No correlation existed between population trends 
and age ratios on either area. Significant correlations were demonstrated, for both 
areas, and for the combined data, between (1) total adults and total juveniles, (2) 
between total adult males and total juveniles, and (3) between total adult females and 
total juveniles in the kill. These data indicate: (1) The number of juveniles in 
the fall population each year was dependent upon the size of the breeding population. 
Changes in fall population levels between years were due to changes in the numbers of 
breeding adults and not in the numbers of young produced per adult. (2) The sex 
ratios among the adults in the fall did not change significantly between years, and 
factors determining the breeding populations between years affected both sexes 
equally. It appears, therefore, that the quantity and quality of quail habitat--and 
not the sex and age structures of the populations--determined the fall population 
levels. 
