THE BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF SNAKE MOBBING BY SIBERIAN CHIPMUNKS .2. FUNCTIONS BENEFICIAL FOR THE MOBBERS THEMSELVES

The functions of snake mobbing by Siberian chipmunks were studied in t he context of potencial benefit to the mobbers themselves. In experime nt I, the threatening effect of the mobbing was examined, and followin g results were obtained. The snake retreated almost always into a shel ter box when it was mobbed, and the time span from the beginning of th e mobbing until the completion of the snake's retreat into the box was shorter when the snake was mobbed by 2 chipmunks than when mobbed by a single one. These results indicate that mobbing has a threatening ef fect against the snake that increases when more chipmunks mob. In expe riment II, I examined whether chipmunks get information about the snak e during the mobbing. The experiment showed that the chipmunks perform ed tail shakings after the mobbing more frequently at large snakes tha n at small ones, and also indicated that mobbing functions to obtain u seful information about snakes. This study clarified that the snake mo bbing by Siberian chipmunks provides benefits to the mobbers themselve s.