Edward P. Hill III

An evaluation of several body measurements for determining age of juvenile cottontail rabbits was undertaken on the Coastal Plains and Piedmont Soils of Alabama from January 1963 to December 1966. Coefficients of variation were calculated, and growth curves were fitted from least squares analyses of measurements of tarsus length, ear length, nose-rump length, and body weight from 151 known-aged cottontails born in pens and raised in large enclosures. Tarsus length provided the best estimate of age in young cottontails. Body weights at birth were greater than weights reported for...

During a five year study of cottontail reproduction in Alabama, frequent observations were made of activities and mortality of nestling cottontail rabbits in five 50' x 50' pens, in six 200' x 200' pens, and in five large enclosures ranging from 6 to 40 acres in size. During this study 371 cottontail nests were found in which 231 litters were born. Evidence, some of which is circumstantial, indicates that 68 whole litters and parts of two other litters were destroyed by fire ants. From these observations it appears that significant fire ant disturbances to cottontail nesting can be...

A swamp rabbit life history study was conducted in Alabama during 1960-1967. Of 438 swamp rabbits taken by hunters on Wheeler National Waterfowl Refuge in northern Alabama during February, 205 (46 percent) were males. In a sample of 64 others collected statewide throughout the year, 29 (45.3 percent) were males. Late winter weights are presented for 322 swamp rabbits examined in north Alabama. Based on implantation sites or corpora lutea counts, the mean size of 95 first swamp rabbit litters of the season was 2.863. The mean size of 17 second litters of the year was 3.176. No significant...