Social organization and territorial behaviour in three strains of mice

Abstract

Pairs of sibling male mice were placed in one enclosure consisting of two boxes connected by a long runway. Three strains greatly differed in their pattern of social structure and spatial dispersion. Males of the Swiss outbred strain were strongly intolerant of each other and established individual territories. BALB/c males associated into hierarchically organized groups in which the subordinate neither defended territory nor exhibited sexual behaviour. C57B1 males peacefully lived together apparently without a rank order, both males attacking strangers and exhibiting sexual behaviour.