N Dixon 1949 Journal Dec 17. 1 mi. NE Alviso, Santa Clara Co., Calif. We noted one Rattus clinging to Spartina about this time and shortly afterward 3 on a plank in the same vegetation (Salicornia covered by still-rising tide by this time). One of the Rattus taken by Rudd. Yellow-throate & Marsh Wrens became more noticeable at this time as Spartina was their only refuge & they were forced to fly from time to time by our approach. After 11:00 as tide thus exceptionally high Virginia Rails were seen flying rather far & could be seen in emergent Spartina here & there. Clapper Rails were seen & heard in a distance; one was swimming in open water outside shotgun range. Sibley took 2 Virginia Rails and we saw 2 others. Then he shot a Sora Rail and another Virginia and then 2 Soras with one shot as a Virginia flew from the same shot. He took in total 4 Sora and 5 Virginia rails; we saw half a dozen more of each. We came upon one Sora Rail which dived several times in succession, remaining under for from 15 to 25 seconds (timed by Sibley). Sibley finally took the Sora by hand, the bird being water-logged & too tired to dive again apparently. [We kept the Sora in the boat where it revived about 1/2 hour later & flew away]. We saw a Microtus clinging to a Spartina blade; it swam ~40 feet to another clump when disturbed. We saw a Rattus apparently drowning in a channel; we hauled it aboard but it died after crawling about. (Rudd plans to dissect this rat.) Later we saw a rat on a