Marshall, 1940 a. 23. Melospiza melodia Berkeley Aquatic Park, Alameda Co., Calif. Last week in May Two pairs seen at close range with binocs. Were nesting in willows at edge of the pond by KRE radio station. Foraging in on mud around edge of tule patch. Apparently nesting because both members of first pair gave continuous alarm notes. Watson had thought he had seen a very dark bird here - Dave Nichols also * similar to the North bird - a mutant(?) - from Melrose marsh. The birds we saw at this time we re normal santaecrucis apparently. I could see no tra ce of yellow on the undersides, even with the 16 power binocs. The dark bird had been seen early in the year at this same patch of wil lows. (fresh - lypha) Saw a good salt water marsh at the bridge entrance. Perhaps good pusillula here. Situation has probably changed a lot in recent years, owning to draining of marshes - at expense of pusillula and to advantage of santaecrucis. Marin Co. salt marshes, Calif. July 1 Objective: to"obtain" as Sibley says - song sparrows from marshes as close to the golden gate as possible ( on the north side of course). This was to see if there was any intergradation between samuelis and pusillula between South SanFrancisco and Marin Co. marshes. Took John Chattin's ford and Boots; left Boot's house at about twelve noon. Went via Richmond ferry to San Rafael and down the highway to the most southerly marsh on the bay side. This turned out to be at the mouth of Coyote Creek. The upper end of the marsh was of sali cornia, bordered by baccharis and vine tangles and willows. In other words, there was a fine gouldi habitat all around the edge of this part of the marsh, and the marsh itself was none too good even for samuelis. I was not surprised ther to find the sparrows only around the edge, where they were singing and carrying food to the nest. #911 was carrying in food from the marsh, but was nevertheless nesting in a poison-oak thicket at the edge.