To find A. c. subvirgata in a marsh seemingly not saline enough for the nominate race is not surprising. A. c. subvirgata breeds in marshes, along the coast of New England, which are almost fresh water (Montagna, 1942b:256). A. c. caudacuta is only casual away from salt water.
TERRITORY
In a general treatise on the subject of territorialism, Nice (1933:98), summarizing Howard, stated: "Territory implies in the male bird isolation, advertisement, fixation, and intolerance." I concluded from my observations that all four requirements are exhibited by male Seaside Sparrows while none of them is well developed in male Sharp-tailed Sparrows. This subject is discussed separately for the two species.
Tomkins (1941:38-51) studied populations of Ammospiza maritima macgillivrayii near the mouth of the Savannah River in South Carolina and Georgia and concluded that this form is not territorial. In support of his conclusions, he quoted Nice (1933:90-91) as follows: "Territory cannot mean just the nest spot when the adults feed in common; this may be 'nest territory,' but it is a very different matter from a territory in its strict sense to which parents confine themselves during the breeding season. Again, the very essence of a territory lies in its exclusiveness; if a bird's range is not defended, it is not a territory."
The feeding and nesting grounds of breeding Seaside Sparrows are often separated by a portion of the marsh which is not used by the birds. This complicates study of the territorial habits of the species. It does not mean, however, that the species is not territorial.
The birds studied by Tomkins had separate feeding and nesting grounds. Concerning this, Tomkins (1941:43) states that "The Seaside Sparrows of this locality [Savannah River area] often live where the two requirements [adequate feeding grounds and suitable nesting cover] are not always together or even meeting, but also where the feeding grounds and the nesting place are separated by a short distance."
Six of the eight original pairs of breeding Seaside Sparrows of the Lavallette colony fed in areas separate from those in which they nested. I found the eight nests of the original residents and banded and dyed all of the adults. The owners of two nests did not have separate nesting and feeding areas. One nest was built within fifteen feet of the south shore of the island, adjacent to the feeding area. The other was built within a few feet of the north shore. The female of this nest obtained food along the shore in the immediate vicinity of the nest. Her mate was absent; in all probability it was the singing male which I took from a nearby bush, before I found it advantageous to use the island as a study area.
The remaining six pairs flew to the south or west shores of the island in order to feed. None of these six nests was more than 100 yards from the feeding grounds (pl. 1, fig. b).
It was comparatively easy to see that the males defended an area surrounding the nest. It was more difficult to see that the pairs fed on separate plots of shoreline, each defended by the male, but I am convinced that this was the case.