Pages [44 and 45]

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44

APRIL 24, - AMECA.
AFTER THE MASTOS GOT BACK IN THE MORNING, I TOOK
HELMUT TO THE AIRPORT TO FIND OUT ABOUT ROADS TO
SAN SABASTIAN, THEN TOOK HIM BACK TO TOWN AND WENT OUT
ALONE. I WENT S OF TOWN ALONG THE ROAD TO SAN
MARTIN HIDALGO AND AUTLAN, STOPPING FIRST ABOUT A HALF MILE
S OF THE AIRPORT. SAW 2 COVE'S DEER, AND SHOT AT THEM,
BUT MISSED.

FROM THERE I DROVE ABOUT 2 MI. FURTHER SOUTH AND
STOPPED AT A BRIDGE WHICH HAD A SMALL POND OF STAGNANT
WATER, ALL THAT WAS LEFT OF A GOOD SIZED CREEK. I FOLLOWED
THE CREEK BED BOTH WAYS FROM THE ROAD, COLLECTING
SCELOPS & CNEMIDOPS WHEN I RETURNED TO THE SMALL
POOL I SCALED UP AND CAUGHT A 5 1/2 FOOT MASTICOPHIS
FLAGELLUM. R. PIPIENS WAS ALSO ABUNDANT AROUND
THIS POOL. RETURNED TO TOWN, AS IT WAS TIME FOR THE
MASTOS TO GO OUT AGAIN.

APRIL 25, 1949 - AMECA - GUADALAJARA.
WE LEFT AMECA AFTER THE MASTOS FINISHED
SKINNING. WHILE I WAITED I DROVE WEST AGAIN ALONG
THE CAMINO REAL AND SHOT 4 MORE CTENOSAURS. I
KEPT ONE WHOLE SPECIMEN AND PRESERVED THE REST,
AS SKULLS ONLY, TAKING DATA ON THEM FIRST. THEY WERE,
AS USUAL, ON STONE FENCES ALONG THE ROAD.

THE VALLEY OF AMECA IS A VERY DIFFICULT ONE
TO COLLECT IN, BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE CULTIVATION IT
HAS UNDERGONE. THE RIVER IS USED IN ALL PARTS OF THE
VALLEY FOR IRRIGATION, AND THE WHOLE VALLEY IS COVERED
WITH SUGAR CANE, CORN AND WHEAT. ONE IS FORCED TO
GO A LONG WAYS TO FIND A PLACE WILD ENOUGH TO COLLECT

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45

APRIL 25, 1949, CONT.
IN. THE WHOLE VALLEY IS WELL POPULATED, AND IT IS PRACTICALLY
IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP AND COLLECT WITHOUT SPENDING A HALF
HOUR EXPLAINING WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO SOMEONE.

DROVE SOUTH ON THE AMECA - AUTLAN ROAD TILL WE
PICKED UP THE AUTLAN - GUADALAJARA HGHY, THEN WENT TO
GUADALAJARA. THIS IS MUCH THE BETTER ROAD, BUT THE OTHER
WILL PERHAPS BE BETTER WHEN IT IS FINISHED. STAYED IN
THE HOTEL MORALES IN G.

APRIL 26, 1949 - GUADALAJARA.
SPENT DAY HERE, WAITING FOR MAIL FOR HOOPER, ALTHO
WE HAD ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO GO ON AT NOON TODAY.

APRIL 27, 1949 - GUADALAJARA - TEPIC, NAY.
WE LEFT HERE EARLY THIS MORNING, ON THE GUAD - TEPIC
HGHY. WE CONTINUED CLEAR TO TEPIC, WHERE WE PICKED UP A
ROAD TO THE SOUTH WHICH TOOK US, EVENTUALLY, TO A SMALL PLACE
CALLED SAN JOSE DEL CONDE. BY WAY OF CAMPOSTELA THIS WAS AS CLOSE AS WE COULD
GET TO THE SIERRA SAN SEBASTIAN BY TRUCK. WE CAMPED A
SHORT WAY SOUTH OF TOWN AND WAITED TILL THE NEXT DAY TO
TRY TO GET MULES.

WE FOUND A MASTICOPHIS FLAGELLUM DOR JUST OUTSIDE
OF NATLAN, NAYARIT. THE BUZZARDS HAD EATEN HIM PRETTY
BADLY, BUT I KEPT HIM ALL FOR CLOSER INSPECTION LATER.
HOOPER SHOT A SCELOPORUS FOR ME JUST OUTSIDE COMPOSTELA.

THE COUNTRY HERE IN NAYARIT IS ALMOST A
STEADY PICTURE OF ISOLATED MOUNTAINS AND LARGE, FERTILE
VALLEYS. THE MOUNTAINS LOOK TO BE QUITE BARE AND DRY
FOR THE MOST PART, ALTHO SOME HAVE SCRUB OAK AND PINE