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Show 30 horned owl, Bubo virginianus occidentalis Stone; and other less common birds are known to include jack rabbits among their prey. During a study of food brought to the nest to feed young birds during the spring of 1953, R. D. Porter found that 38 of 78 food items brought to a red-tail nest, one of nine brought to a rough-leg nest, and A2 out of 57 brought to a horned owl nest, were jack rabbits. Since the rabbits are much larger than the other food items brought to the nests, the proportion of food quantitatively supplied by the rabbits would be much larger than the figures indicate. In light of this relationship between raptors and jack rabbits it is difficult to interpret an observation of a be_havioral reaction between a red-tail and a jack rabbit observed by woodbury. Out collecting specimens, he was making preliminary observations when he noted the rabbit turn his head as if looking into the sky. Glancing up, he noted a red-tail coming toward the rabbit as if to make a strike. As it approached, the rabbit sitting on its haunches with back toward the hawk suddenly stiffened its front legs and neck. The hawk responded by changing its flight pattern and sailing over the rabbit without striking. After the hawk passed, the rabbit went on feeding. Among reptiles, the gopher snake, Pituophis catenifer deserticola Stejneger, and the Great Basin rattlesnake, Crotalus viridis lutosus Klauber, are the only ones likely to include jack rabbits in their diets. Large specimens of both snakes are probably capable of swallowing very young rabbits but would be totally incapable of handling adults. These snakes are not evenly distributed over the landscape but usually occur in the summer irregularly distributed ovedthe range around centers where they can find natural underground shelters for winter. ENDOPARASITES As a by-product of other studies, 19 specimens of jack rabbits were re- ferred to Dr. A. W. Grundmann for a study of endoparasites during the summers of 1953 and 195A. These specimens were examined by standard methods and the endo- |
