pt in areas of uniform habitat (such as large patches of
coralberry) where the area covered tends to be more nearly circular.
Cottontails observed foraging were estimated to utilize 10 to 20 per
cent of the home range area in one evening. Paths or runways are not
ordinarily utilized by foraging cottontails.

In seeking protection from predators or from the weather, cottontails
move farther in winter than in summer. The average length of trails of
cottontails flushed by me in the study area was 80 feet in summer and
210 feet in winter.

When cottontails were released from live-traps they ran an average of
30 feet before stopping to look about. Cottontails always ran toward
the densest cover within 50 feet of the point of release. Ten per cent
of the cottontails released from live-traps did not stop running until
out of sight (always more than 30 feet).

Movements made by cottontails escaping from predators differ from
movements made while foraging. The gait is a full run, often eight to
ten feet between footprints in snow; the trail is either straight or
slightly zig-zag. If possible, the individual will take refuge in a
hiding place such as a rock outcrop, brush pile, or thicket. Eight
cottontails emerged from such hiding places an average of 22 minutes
after the disturbance ceased.

If unable to find a hiding place a pursued cottontail will run 600 to
1200 feet while circling and returning to the area from which it ran.
If not closely pursued, it will usually (in 68 per cent of the
instances) not enter hiding places, but continue to run ahead of the
pursuer. Of 70 released from live-traps and followed, 23 sought refuge
in hiding places. The others ran slowly (4 to 7 feet between footprints
in the snow) with frequent pauses to look and listen; they usually
succeeded in keeping out of my sight. Twelve times the trails of
cottontails followed in this manner passed near a form, or other
resting place; always the cottontails had paused at the resting place,
and twice the individual went into the resting place and ran out again
when I approached. Resulting trails were almost circular, covering most
(70-90 per cent) of the home range; sometimes three or four complete
circuits were made. The trails made when I pursued cottontails ranged
in length from 800 to 3,000 feet. A trail recorded for an individual on
one night was almost identical with another trail for the same
individual recorded another night. The cottontail is n