Marshall, 1941 Melospiza melodia Northern Contra Costa Col, Calif. Jan. 20, 1941. John Chattin and I started from Berkeley at 1 pm and drove directly to Selby. Cloudy and windy. Walked up Canada del Cierbo - very wet- to willows at west-end-of-the-li east end of the little lake ½ mi. E Selby. Artificial Lake, about 50 yards in diameter, cattails around 3 sides, willows and wet meadow at upper end quite extensive patch. Shrubbery andvines at base of each willow - rest, grassy and open. One large flock white-crowned sparrows seen - about 50. 2 Bewick Wrens, several r-c kinglets, 1 hermit thrush, 6 Varied Thrushes, one shrike, 6 Spotted Towhees. When we first arrived, 2 song sparrows were singing. Then wind came up more and we heard only 3 or 4 more sing in the next hour and½. Collected 6, getting them the 2-man method (one chasing them out of cover, the other shooting). Also one M.m.morphna and one Lincoln Sparrow, which as usual was in a patch of weeds in the open. We flushed it and it flew to the shrubbery along the creek, where it ran along mouse-like when we tried to drive it out - head and tail low, kept under cover as if along Microtus trails even when going from one clump of bushes to another. Hundreds of Triturus - many copulating - males on top, lighter and covered with smooth secretion, cloaca everted and joining with female's. Females dark, rough, not slimy. Chattin coll. about 15. Song sparrows hid in shrubbery at bases of willows - would call sometimes when squeeked at and each time that the flock of white-crowns would go thru . Drove to Fort Costa. No salt marshes from Selby on. At Ft. Costa, may once have been a salt marsh at north of the narrow valley that opens to bay at edge of town - but now all a railroad yard. Good soft chaparral habitat for upland ss on each north-facing valley from Selby around to Martinez. Good riparian habitat with willows in each northward running canyon. Above port Cost a reservoire with Cattails. The only Salt marsh is at Martinez -