Vo l . 12, No. 9 
Page 2 
April), laying periods (May), and incubatin 
were dissected to determine the weights of 
internal organs. 
g periods (June) of 19^7—69. The hens 
selected muscle groups, fat deposits, and 
It was found that during all three periods--prenesting, laying, and incubating- 
the mean weights of the entire body, of sternal muscles, and of the fat strip of o d 
adults were greater than those of yearling adults; the differences exhibited by all 
three parameters were statistically significant (P<0.05) during the prenesting an 
laying periods. The mean weights of the entire body of yearling adults and of old 
adults were, respectively, 965+24 (14 hens) and 1,138+25 (16 hens) grams during t e 
prenesting period, 1,038+13 (30 hens) and 1,112+14 (17 hens) grams during the laying 
period, and 854+18 (20 hens) and 879+22 (10 hens) grams during the incubating period 
These findings indicate that during the nesting season old adult hens are in better 
physical condition--and presumably are better prepared for meeting the energy 
demands of reproduction--than are yearling adult hens. 
4. Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation 
J. A. Ellis, 
P. J. Matthews 
We have used counts of whistling bobwhites along standardized routes on the 
Forbes and Dale areas for the period May 15“July 15 a s indices of fall population 
densities (MWRL 10(9):2). The average number of calls rather than the average 
number of whistling cocks, per listening stop, has been the more reliable index of 
the fall populations on both areas, because the actual number of cocks at a partic¬ 
ular stop has been difficult to determine when more than six were calling. 
For I 969 , the average number of calls per stop on Forbes (26.9) indicated that 
the fall population will be 34.4 quail per 100 acres^ an increase of 5 percent over 
the estimate obtained by the same method in 1 968 . On Dale, the predicted prehunt 
population in 1 969 will be 36.9 quail per 100 acres, compared with 33-4 quail per 
100 acres in 1968, an increase of 10 percent. 
5 . Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L* Westemeier 
An initial attempt at restoration of some native prairie vegetation was made at 
Bogota on the Yeatter Sanctuary in the spring of 1963• Big bluestem ( Andropoqon 
gerardi ) , little bluestem (A. scoparius) , Indian grass ( Sorqhastrum nutans ) and 
switch grass ( Panicum virqatum) seed was broadcast by hand on new (fall 1962) seed- 
ings of redtop ( Aqrostis alba ) . Subsequent management of these seedings was limited 
to combining for redtop seed and mowing for weed control. The presence of the 
prairie grasses was not readily apparent until the fall of 1967* By late summer, 
1969 , switch grass was well established and the other three species were present, to 
a lesser degree, on the Yeatter Sanctuary. 
In March 1966, a 10-acre field of soybean ( Gycine max ) stubble on the 140-acre 
Zimmerman tract was disked and seeded using a mixture of big bluestem, Indian grass, 
and switch grass, plus timothy ( Phleum pratense) as a companion crop and oats ( Avena 
sativa) as a nurse crop. Seeds from all five species were mixed together, broadcast 
mechanically, and covered using a spike harrow. Subsequent management included the 
following: (1) combining the oats nurse crop (July 1966) and clipping for weed 
