JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. American Society of Mammalogists is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Mammalogy. The behavioristic trait manifested by a display of property ownership-a defense of certain positions or things-reaches its highest development in the human species. Man considers it his inherent right to own property either as an individual or as a member of a society or both. Further, he is ever ready to protect that property against aggressors, even to the extent at times of sacrificing his own life if necessary. That this behavioristic pattern is not peculiar to man, but is a fundamental characteristic of animals in general, has been shown for diverse animal groups. (For an excellent historical account and summary on territoriality, with fairly complete bibliography, the reader is referred to a paper by Mrs. Nice, 1941). It does not necessarily follow that this trait is found in all animals, nor that it is developed to the same degree in those that are known to possess it, but its wide distribution among the vertebrates (see Evans, L. T., 1938, for reptiles), and even in some of the invertebrates, lends support to the theory that it is a basic characteristic of animals and that the potentialities are there whether the particular animal in question displays the characteristic. Heape (1931, p. 74) went so far as to say: "Thus, although the matter is often an intricate one, and the rights of territory somewhat involved, there can, I think, be no question that territorial rights are established rights amongst the majority of species of animals. There can be no doubt that the desire for acquisition of a definite territorial area, the determination to hold it by fighting if necessary, and the recognition of individual as well as tribal territorial rights by others, are dominant characteristics in all animals. In fact, it may be held that the recognition of territorial rights, one of the most significant attributes of civilization, was not evolved by man, but has ever been an inherent factor in the life history of all animals." Undoubtedly significant is the fact that the more we study the detailed behavior of animals, the larger is the list of kinds known to display some sort of territoriality. There have been many definitions to describe the territory of different animals under varying circumstances. The best and simplest of these, in my mind, is by Noble (1939); "territory is any defended area." Noble's definition may be modified to fit any special case, yet it is all-inclusive and to the point. Territory should not be confused with "home range"-an entirely different concept that will be treated more fully later.The territoriality concept is not a new one (...
