Cottontails are common in the coastal sage scrub association and in and
around citrus groves, but generally penetrate the mountains no farther
than the lower limit of the chaparral association. They are everywhere
on coastal alluvial slopes, except in the barren washes, and prefer
patches of prickly-pear and often are loathe to leave its protection.
After completely destroying a large patch of prickly-pear in the course
of examining a wood rat house in the center of the cactus, I found
hiding, in the main nest chamber of the house, a cottontail that dashed
from its hiding place only when poked forceably with the handle of a
hoe.
Cottontails are seldom above the sage belt in the chaparral
associations, although along firebreaks and roads they occasionally
occur there. Habitually cottontails escape predators in partly open
terrain offering retreats such as low, thick brush, rock piles, and
cactus patches; but on open ground beneath dense chaparral, cottontails
may be vulnerable to predation.
Examinations of feces and stomach contents of the coyote reveals that it
preys more heavily on cottontails than on any other wild species.
Remains of several cottontails eaten by raptors were found in the sage
belt.
In April, 1951, many young cottontails were found dead on roads in the
sage belt, and a newly born cottontail was in the stomach of a coyote
trapped four miles north of Claremont, on February 7, 1952.
_Specimens examined._--Total, 3, distributed as follows: Los
Angeles County: mouth of San Antonio Canyon, 2000 ft., 1 (PC).
San Bernardino County: 2 mi. NW Upland, 1600 ft., 2 (PC).
=Sylvilagus audubonii arizonae= (J. A. Allen)