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The 5' half of the ndhF gene of 14 taxa was sequenced and analysed cladistically in order to elucidate the tribal delimitation and their relationships within the Caprifoliaceae. The cladistic analyses strongly support the traditional delimitation of the three tribes Lonicereae, Diervilleae and Linnaeeae, but with the genera Symphoricarpos and Triosteum being members of the Lonicereae. The phylogenetic position of the Diervilleae remains unresolved. The derived Linnaeeae are a sister group of the Valerianaceae-Dipsacaceae clade, suggesting that the Caprifoliaceae are paraphyletic.

The impacts of autumn or spring burning on Symphoricarpos occidentalis were studied in Fescue Prairie in central Saskatchewan. Symphoricarpos density increased two- to three-fold over preburn density in the 1st 2 growing seasons following a burn. Individual shoot weights were approximately one-third those of plants in reference (un- burned) sites. Leaves that were approximately two to three times larger, combined with increased stem densities, enabled plants in burned stands to re-establish a leaf area index equal to reference sites within 2 mo of growth in the 1st growing season. Total standing crop of S. occidentalis was reduced only for the early part of the 1st growing season following burning. In the 1st growing season following burning, xylem water potentials and stomatal conductance of burned plants equalled or exceeded those of reference sites. A delayed effect of burning was expressed in the 2nd growing season, with soil moisture, xylem water potentials and turgor potentials being lower in burned plants than in the reference. Flexibility in resource allocation, with a larger proportion of biomass in leaves, and unaffected or improved water status are adaptive features that enable S. occidentalis to regain its position in the plant community the 1st growing season following disturbance by burning. One-time burning in autumn or spring should not reduce the dominance of S. occidentalis in this region.

Nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast gene rbcL were obtained from Lonicera, Sambucus, Adoxa, and Cornus. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences, along with previously sequenced Dipsacales and placeholders for other Asteridae and Rosidae, lead to the following conclusions: (1) the genera of Caprifoliaceae (in any traditional sense) do not form a monophyletic group; (2) Symphoricarpos and Lonicera (representing Caprifoliaceae sens. str.) are related and are united with Valerianaceae and Dipsacaceae; and (3) Adoxa and Sambucus are directly linked and are possibly related to Viburnum

Little rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) and snowberry (Symphoricarpos vaccinioides) shrubs were clipped for 5 yr to simulate browsing under 7 schedules and 3 intensities of herbage removal. Herbage production was increased over unclipped plants by clipping little rabbitbrush annually in late summer, and snowberry during alternate years on 15 July. Thirty percent herbage removal produced an increase in herbage production while more intense defoliation usually caused a decrease. Sprouting in- creased with all intensities of clipping and with most clipping schedules. Sprout vigor, measured as average sprout length of clipped plants, was reduced on little rabbitbrush shrubs but not on snowberry. Seed production was greatly reduced by clipping. Browsing, especially by controlled livestock use, can be a tool to rejuvenate shrubs and to increase their forage production.

Stomach content analyses of 28 Leptotyphlops humilis humilis and 17 L. dulcis dulcis indicate that these snakes feed extensively on ants and termites which compromise 54-64 per cent of the total diet. L. d. dulcis appears to be more fossorial in its feeding activity than L. h. humilis which preys on a greater percentage of surface-dwelling arthropods. Presumably, this serves to reduce competition for the available food supply in geographical areas of sympatry. Both species show a definite preference for soft-bodied prey-types. In addition, several insect species which live as commensals in ant and termite nests are readily consumed along with their hosts. INTRODUCTION Most of the existing literature on the blind snakes of the genus Leptotyphlops deals specifically with the systematics of the group (Klauber, 1940) and their general ecology and geographical distribution (Banks and Farmer, 1963; Banta, 1965; Brattstrom, 1953; Turner and Wauer, 1963). Previous investigations on the feeding behavior of the Western Blind Snake, Leptotyphlops humilis humilis, and the Texas Blind Snake, L. dulcis dulcis, have demonstrated that these fossorial species feed extensively on ants and termites (Brattstrom and Schwenkmeyer, 1951; Reid and Lott, 1963; Stebbins, 1966). It has been further shown that L. d. dulcis frequently utilizes the pheremone trails of some ant species to locate its prey (Watkins, Gehlbach and Baldridge, 1967). Although it has been suggested that additional softbodied arthropods are also consumed (Stebbins, 1954), quantitative and qualitative information concerning the specific food preferences of these snakes is lacking. The purpose of the present study was to accurately analyze the feeding habits of these two species in an area of sympatry as well as to determine what differences, if any, exist in their food preferences. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-eight L. h. humilis and 17 L. d. dulcis were collected 5 km ESE of Chiricahua, Cochise Co., Arizona during May through August 1971. The area was characterized by sand flats and intermittent boulder-strewn hillsides. Several rocky canyons with dry creek beds were present. There were no apparent micro-habitat differences between the two species. The prevalent vegetation included mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), incense bush (Symphoricarpos sp.), creosote (Covillea) and ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens). Most specimens were collected along paved and dirt roads at night. Several individuals were found within rocky crevices during the day. L. h. humilis specimens ranged in length from 21.4-33.8 mm; L. d. dulcis individuals from *Current Address: Dept. of Zoology & Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010, USA.

Grazing trials were conducted on high elevation summer range in southwestern Utah, with cattle and sheep stocked separately and together in .4-ha paddocks. Vegetation measurements were taken before and after grazing treatments to quantify vegetation utilization as measured by several sampling techniques. Sheep removed less grass and more forbs and shrubs than cattle. Cattle showed a strong reluctance to browse mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus Gray) even when herbaceous forage was greatly reduced. In the common use grazing treatments, all 3 forage categories were well utilized. Cattle and sheep grazing together used more forage, especially mountain snowberry, than calculated from single use averages. Summer rangelands in southwestern Utah are an integral part of the local livestock production system and have been grazed almost exclusively by domestic sheep for decades. The extensive and heavy sheep grazing induced a general shift in the herbaceous vegetation from what was probably a tall forb-grass community to a grass dominated community. Despite these vegetation modifications, sheep continue to be the major livestock species on Cedar

Range productivity, vegetation characteristics, and food habits of the pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) were studied in the Pakowki and Newell areas, Alberta, frotn 1962 through l9B5. Quantitative measurements of canopies, frequencies, constancies olf taxa, and yields of plant categories showed that the Pako!wki and Newell areas represented spear grass-westem wheat grass/blue grama ( Stp forbs in all seasons; and grasses and sedges in spring. Cultivated grain was of minor importance In the Pakowki area browse species and grasses and sedges were the most important food categories in late fall and early winter. The five major food items, comprising 73 percent of the total diet in the Newell area, were silver sagebrush ( Artemsa cans ), pasture sagewort ( A. frigida ) > grasses and sedges, ball cactus ( Mamillaria visipara ), and western snowberry ( Symphoricarpos occidentalz )) in order of decreasing volume. These same species comprised 90 percent of the diet of antelopes in the Pakowki area in late fall and early winter. Comparisons between vegetation abundance and antelope food habits in two areas in 1964 indicated that both forbs and browse species are preferred foods, and that forbs, when available, are eaten in preference to grasses and sedges. Silver sagebrush and pasture sagewort are key antelope foods irl the Newell area? comprising 82 percent of the winter diet, and over one-half the diet at all times except summer. Silver sagebrush, western snowberry? and graminaceous species are the key foods in the Pakowki area in fall and early winter. The role and importance of big sagebrush (Artemisuz triderttsta) in the diet cf anteiopes south of latitude 49° N is assumed by silver sagebrush and pasture sagewort in the diet of antelopes in Alberta. The area occupied by the pronghorn antelope in North America has been considered to be divisible into two major regions on the basis of land productivity and on the factors that regulate antelope numbers (Buechner 1961). According to this classification, the steppe of southern Alberta is located in that region characterized by relatively moist conditions, high land productivity, and the regulation of antelope numbers by man. Published information on range productivity and antelope range use in Canada and adjacent states is limited. Dirschl ( 1963 ) reported on the major food plants eaten seasonally by antelopes on mixed prairie and fescue grasslands in Saskatchewan. Cole (1956:1S33), and Cole lPresent address: Biology Department, University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus7 Regina. 238 and Wilkins (1958:92S) deseribed range and food habits of antelopes in Montana with referenee to alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) and winter wheat ( Triticum aestivom ) produetion, respeetively. Bayless (1969) presented a detailed aeeount of winter range, range use and food habits of the pronghorn in eentral Montana. These Montana studies, those for Califoinia ( Ferrel and Leaeh 1950), those for Oregon and Nevada (Mason 1952)) and those for other regions report orl the importance of big sagebrush in the diet of the pronghorn. The absenee of this plant speeies on antelope ranges in Canada raises the question as to what speeies or eombination of speeies supplants this important food item in the diet of pronghorns in Alberta. Our study, condueted from 1962 through 1965 on two antelope ranges in southern This content downloaded from 157.55.39.231 on Wed, 05 Oct 2016 04:22:43 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms FOOD HABITS OF ANTELOPES * Mitchell and Smolulk 239 Alberta, was designed to measure land productivity, vegetation characteristics, vegetation changes, and their influence on antelope diets. We thank R. G. H. Cormack, Botany Department, University of Alberta, for his participation in l9B2; and T. W. Peters, Pedologist, Canada Department of Agriculture Soil Survey, University of Alberta, for his soil analyses in 1964. Thanks are also extended to L. G. Sugden, Canadian Wildlife Service, for critically reviewing the manuscript. The laboratory analysis of food materials was supported in part by a grant from W. A. Riddell, former principal, University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus; and by National Research Council Grantin-Aid No. 3913.

Two hundred and two species of spiders representing 22 families were found in the spider population of a two-acre plot typical of west central Missouri. An average population of 51 spiders per m2 showed that 15 species were numerical dominants having an incidence of .25 to 5.4 individuals per M2. Several species were found to have preferential habitats in the three stratified communities sampled. The total population reached a peak in July and remained rather uniform through September. Primary and secondary peaks of the adult popu- lation occurred in May and September, respectively. The dominant species varied widely in their constancy and density of occurrence in the communities. Population dynamics of Ceraticelus fissiceps (O P-Cam- bridge), Synema parvulum (Hentz), Tmarus angulatus (Walckenaer), Anyphaena fraterna (Banks), and Mangora placida (Hentz) offer evi- dence regarding life cycles and overwintering habits of these species. The two-acre plot upon which this study was conducted is near Warrensburg, Johnson Co., Missouri. A small stream transects the plot diagonally, and there are two prominent outcroppings of Warrensburg sandstone. Approximately one-fourth of the area is occupied by a house, driveway, and lawns. The small patches of lawn are interspersed among areas of shrubs, trees, and other vegetation largely in their natural state. Although fragments of "prairie" and "forest" exist in considerable variety, forest conditions predominate. The relief is about 25 feet between the lower, moist, swampy por- tions and the higher parts of the area, which drain quickly and dry rapidly and excessively. The soil, mainly Harrison silt loam, varies from swampy muck through hard clay to loose sand. Oak (Quercus spp.), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), elm (Ulmus spp.), osage orange (Maclura pomifera), and willow (Salix spp.), are the pre- dominant trees. Buckbrush (Symphoricarpos sp.), blackberry (Rubus sp.), and sumac (Rhus spp.) are the principal shrubs. The herbaceous community is composed in large part of jewel weed (Impatiens sp.), beggar's lice (Desmodium sp.), ragweed (Ambrosia spp.), and various grasses and sedges (Poa spp., Hordeum sp., Carex sDp., and Panicum spp.). The plot encompasses habitats broadly typical of west- central Missouri. The spider populations studies of Gibson (1947) in the west Ten- nessee river forest, of Elliott (1930) in an Indiana beech-maple climax, and of Lowrie (1942 and 1948) are related geographically and ecologically to this study. Those of Muma and Muma (1949) in the Nebraska prairie, of Barnes (1953) and Barnes and Barnes (1955) in the eastern piedmont meadow habitat also afford a basis for comparison. Other spider population studies include those of