NOV. 12, 1931 
 
 
14r. Charles lton 
Dept. of Zoology and Comparative Amatmq 
University Maos= 
Oxford, 1lan 
 
Dear 7tont 
 
       Your hypothesis that the satu-ation point may bear some 
relation to coveylja is to me an oriegin. and strikiw  thowlt. 
It holls water to the follorw   extenti 
 
       1. The coveyig species (Bobwhite, Gray PartriWl) show 
          saturation more strongly than the non-coveying (Pheasant). 
 
       2. The low mobility associated with saturation fits like 
          a glove with your postulate of "rich patches." JNon-

          mobile coveying birds, in short, -=dl1 neo4 patches 
          richer than mobile noa-ooveying birde. 
 
       For the cyclic grouse which covey in n    ~r and pack,- in 
winter (red grouse, pizinate&, sharptail, andl raiffed grouse), we 
have no density data. Deside their specialized digestion (buddin 
and browsing habit) would msae the situation different. 
 
       Tour prediction that the largest ooveys would be found on 
the richest range holds good to this extent: 
 
       3. The larrest coveys I ]:ow of oamr in late fall on the 
          hedýe country of the rich black prairies of the corubelt.

 
       ho The average covey in the tilf states undoubtedly rns 
          unaller than that in the cornbelt, although there are 
          no ftigres to prove this. 
 
       here is another emlanation for the lare ¢coveys on the 
prairie: The cover is so se-rce and the fo~od ocounrg in inch large 
blocks that there is doubtless a tendency for coveys to combine. 
 
       Rave you read Stoddard's "BoWhIte" (Scribners, 1931)?  
If 
not, and if your University Library is not free to get it for you, 
will you let me Imow?  If you find so much of interest in the Game