Vol. 14, No. 9 
Page 2 
growth rates between individual squirrels may reflect physiological 
differences in these animals that relate to the attainment of puberty. 
Using lens weights to determine females of the same age (within 1-3 months), 
whole body weights were compared from breeding and nonbreeding yearling 
females shot in early fall. Whole body weights from 28 breeding yearling 
females provided a mean and standard error of 516.3 + 7*8 grams; whole body 
weights of 24 nonbreeding yearling females showed a mean and standard 
error of 499.0 +5*2 grams. This difference in body weight is significant 
at the 10 percent level (£<L0.10). 
Whole body weights of both breeding and nonbreeding yearling females 
averaged over 90 percent of the mean whole body weight of adult (15 months +) 
females (M=l19, -=532.9 g). This would indicate that female gray squirrels 
do not usually attain puberty until nearly of adult size, at least during 
years of normal food supplies. During or immediately after years of 
exceptional food abundance, a few precocial females will breed when 
somatic growth is only 75 to 85 percent of that of the adult female. 
The high proportion of total life-span energy required to reach 
puberty in this species means that adequate nutrition is particularly 
important for females from 3 to 10 months old, the period between weaning 
ar.d approaching puberty. 
4. Responses of Bobwh ites to Hab i tat Ha nipu 1 ation J. Ellis 
Counts of whistling bobwhites along standardized routes on the Forbes 
and Dale areas may be used as indices of fall population densities (MV/RL 
12(9):2 and 13 (8):2) on the areas. Analysis of data for 1964-70 showed 
significant regressions (P <1.005) of number of calls per listening stop on 
fall population densities. Predicted populations for the fall of 1971^ 
bared cn these regression formulae, are 24.3 and 37*5 quail per 10C acres 
for the Forces and Dale areas, respectively. These estimated densities 
represent a 10 percent decline in the prehunt density on Dale and a 14 
percent increase in the prehunt density on Forbes, when compared with the 
estimates made in 1970 . 
5. Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habi tat Manipulation R. L. V/estemeier, 
D. R. Vance 
A total of 63 prairie chicken nests were found on the sanctuaries at 
Bogota in the summer of 1971* Of these 63 nests, 4l were successful, 21 
were abandoned and/or destroyed by predators, and the fate of 1 nest 
remained unknown. The success level of 66 percent was slightly under the 
mean of 68 percent for the 8-year period of 1963“70 but was slightly 
above the rate of success for 1970 (65 percent). 
The density of 8.6 acres searched per nest is the best density 
recorded since 1964. The average density for 1971 exceeds the average 
density of 12.4 acres per nest for the period of I 963 - 7 O. Except for the 
Hewly acquired Fuson Farm, where no nesting cover was available, at least 
