New Soils Building 
                                             October 29, 1934+ 
 
 
 
 
Mr. A. 2. Andrws 
Fish & Gm   Division 
Conservation Department 
Indianapolis, Indiana 
 
Dear Mr. Andrewss 
 
           I do not now the Cause of extra large quail covies 
 except that they seem to acoomPanY extra good breeding years 
 and also occasionally they seem to occur in locations which 
 are inhabited during only part of the winter season, such as, 
 for instane, upland prairie with a great excess of food but 
 not enough cover to carry birds over winter., Sch ranges often 
 show during fall extra large covies, and during winter no birds 
 at all. 
 
          In Mr. Caster's case the best guess I o'uld venture 
is simply an extra good breeding season, 
 
          Incidentally, the question of why covies exist and 
what determines their mubers is one of the least solved 
riddles of wild life ecology, 
          I need your good wishes on that matter of a 600 score, 
since I have not yet made one. 
 
          With best regards, 
 
                             Yours, sincerely, 
 
 
 
                                        Aldo Leopold 
                                  In Charge, Game esearch 
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