It's a matter of territory

Trail Wood #52 Earl Plato

Note: As I had written - chipmunks were cute little guys lacking animosity. Not so at Trail Wood on Teale’s late March report.
“ A few feet under the protection of a highbish cranberry, a cottontail rabbit watches the strife with mildly interested eyes. Rabbits keep out of foreign wars and private quarrels. As the linked bodies of the two fighting chipmunks come crashing down among the dry weed stems, the cottontail makes two leisurely hops and takes up a new position farther from the battle. But the fight is almost over. While the rabbit and I watch as spectators the chipmunks break apart. One turns and streaks away with the chittering victor in close pursuit.”