Field notes : Mexico, 1949

[Drawing]

PECTORAL GIRDLE

[Drawing]

PELVIC GIRDLE

CANON CONTREROS, FEB. 24, 1949

WE DROVE TO 16,200 FEET AND COLLECTED IN THE FIR WOODS THERE. THE FIT BELT STARTS AT 9,500 AND CONTINUES AS HIGH AS WE WENT. BELOW THE FIR BELT IS PINE, WITH A SPRINKLING OF OAK. THIS SHOWS A GRADUAL TRANSITION TO MUCH OAK AND LITTLE PINE, AND FINALY NO PINE. SMALL SIDE CANONS HAVE STREAMS FED BY MT. SPRINGS. ALL STREAM BEDS & SPRING SOURCES ARE QUITE ROCKY. CARLA WAGNER AND I WORKED UP A SMALL STREAM, TURNING ROCKS IN AND ON THE EDGES OF THE STREAM. NOTHING THERE. I TRIED ROCKS ON THE SIDE OF THE HILL, NO LUCK TILL I GOT TO THE EDGE OF A SMALL WET AREA, FED BY SEVERAL SPRINGS. I FOUND 3 'OEDIPUS UNDER ROCKS, THE UNDERSIDE BEING FAIRLY DRY, OR ONLY DAMP. THERE WERE NO SALAMANDERS IN THE VERY WET AREAS.

I WENT DOWN ABOUT 150 FT TO A LEVEL AREA WHICH HAD BEEN USED AS A CAMPSITE, AND WHICH WAS DAMP ALL OVER, AS A SMALL STREAM CROSSED IT. IT WAS ALMOST MARSHY. AGAIN IN THE DRYER PART, I TURNED A ROCK AND FOUND A HYLA LAFRENTZI. HE DID NOT TRY TO GET AWAY. HELMUT SAYS HE HAS NEVER SEEN THE SPECIES BEFORE.

CANON CONTRERAS, FEB. 25, 1949. A. M.

WE ARRIVED IN THE WOODS BEFORE THE SUN HAD FULLY COME UP, AND THE AIR AND GROUND WERE QUITE CHILLY. I FOLLOWED A SMALL CANYON, WITH WHAT MUST BE A FAIRLY PERMANENT WATERFLOW. I FOUND NOTHING NEITHER IN THE STREAM OR IN

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ANY OF THE SEVERAL SPRINGS TO BE FOUND ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE. TO DATE I HAVE WORKED ON THE AJUSCO SIDE OF THE CAÑON, WHICH IS THE SOUTH SIDE, AND THEREFORE GETS LESS SUN EACH DAY. IT IS QUITE WET IN PLACES

THE PEDREGAL, FEB. 25, P.M.

THIS IS AN AREA OF HEAVY AND EXTENSIVE LAVA FLOW, WITH ENORMOUS CLINKERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT IS VERY, VERY DRY; I SAW NO WATER IN THE WHOLE PLACE. THERE ARE MANY CACTI, AND A FEW LIVE OAKS, THE LATTER CHIEFLY ON HILLSIDES. PEPPER TREES ARE COMMON, AND A FEW PINE ARE ON A HIGHER HILLSIDE. I SPENT 3 HOURS HERE, AND SAW ONE LIZARD, 3 TIMES. THERE WERE MANY SCORPIONS, PILL BUGS, BLACK WIDOWS AND OTHER SPIDERS, AND A FEW EARTHWORMS UNDER ROCKS. THE SCELOPORUS WAS A COLLARED FORM, PROBABLY FERRARICEREZI, WHICH I COULDN'T GET CLOSE TO. BLACK BACK AND TAIL, WITH A HINT OF CHEVRON MARKINGS. I SAW NOTHING ELSE THERE.

CAÑON CONTRERAS, FEB 25, LATER P. M.

RETURNED HERE FOR ANOTHER TRY AT THE NEOTENIC SALAMANDERS WAGNER SAYS HE HAS COLLECTED IN THE MOUNTAIN STREAMS HERE. I FOUND NO SALAMANDERS, BUT I DID SEE SALAMANDER EGGS, ATTACHED TO THE UNDER SIDE OF A ROCK IN A MOUNTAIN POOL. THEY WERE INDIVIDUALLY ATTACHED. EACH WAS ABOUT 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER, INCLUDING GELATIN. THE EGGS, IN THE NEURULA STAGE, WERE ABOUT 1/4 INCH IN DIAMETER, LONGER THAN BROAD.

[right page] 9

CAÑON CONTRERAS, FEB. 26, A. M.

CROSSED THE CAÑON TO THE OTHER SIDE, WHERE THE SUN STRIKES IN EARLY MORNING, AND SHINES ALL DAY. THIS IS THE NORTH BANK, WITH A SOUTHERN EXPOSURE, ON THE SLOPE OF SAN MIGUEL. THIS SIDE IS CONSIDERABLY DRIER THAN THE OTHER, WITH LITTLE OR NO WATER. THERE WERE NO STREAMS WHERE I WALKED. THERE WERE A FEW OAK TREES, WITH YUCCA, CACTUS, AND MAGUEY ON THE SLOPE. I FOUND A SCELOPORUS UNDER A ROCK ON THIS SLOPE, OF THE SAME SPECIES AS THOSE ON THE HOUSES IN THE CITY. I HAVE SEEN THEM IN CHAPULTEPEC PARK AND AT THE LOS ANGELES COURT.

PEDREGAL, FEB. 26, P.M.

RETURNED WITH GUN TO TRY AGAIN FOR THE SINGLE [???], BUT I COULDN'T EVEN FIND HIM. THE HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON IS INTENSE AND THE LIZARDS PROBABLY DO NO SUNNING THEN. GOT NOTHING

[left page] 10 KILOMETER 63, M. C. - CUERNAVAGA HWAY, FEB 27, 1949.

THIS IS THE TYPE LOCALITY OF [underline]EUMECES INDUBITUS [end underline] TAYLOR, SO I STOPPED ON THE WAY TO THE HOOPERS AT CUERNAVAGA TO SEE WHAT WE COULD FIND. IT IS IN AN AREA OF HEAVY PINE-OAK FOREST, WITH MANY ROCKS AND A FEW LOGS. WE COULD FIND NO LIZARDS AT ALL, ALTHOUGH IT WAS A PERFECT PLACE FOR THEM. WE TURNED ONE VERY LARGE LOG, AND WAGNER SAID HE SAW A "BLACK LIZARD" RUN UNDER. WE COULD NOT RELOCATE THE BEAST, HOWEVER. WE SPENT ONLY A FEW MOMENTS THERE AS THE HOOPERS WAITED DINNER ON US.

KILOMETER 46, M. C. - CUERNAVAGA HWAY, FEB 28, 1949.

THIS IS AN AREA OF GRASSLANDS, WITH PINES ON THE KNOLLS. THE GRASS IS "SACATEN", A HEAVY BUNCH GRASS, WHICH GROWS WITH EXCEEDINGLY LONG BLADES. I FOUND THREE SCELOPORUS UNDER A SINGLE PIECE OF BARK ON A LARGE LOG ABOUT 3 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, ALL 3 TOGETHER. I SAW SEVERAL OTHER SCELOPS IN THE GRASS WHERE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH THEM. THE GRASS APPEARS TO BE VERY DRY, BUT AT SUNRISE THE DEW IS VERY HEAVY, AND SUFFICIENT MOISTURE IS PRESENT FOR ANY LIZARD. MY PANTS WERE SOAKED TO THE KNEE.

THE 3 SCELOPS ARE MOST STRIKINGLY COLORED. THE CENTER OF THE BELLY IS LIGHT ORANGE IN 2, GREENISH IN THE 3RD. THIS LIGHT AREA IS BORDERED IN ALL 3 BY A VERY BRIGHT ORANGE. THE SIDES ARE BLACK WITH GREENISH SPOTS AND STRIPES. THEY HAVE MORE OR LESS DEFINED GREEN DORSOLATERAL LINES. ALL HAVE A NARROW, INCOMPLETE

[right page] BLACK NUCHAL COLLAR. ONE HAS AN ORANGE THROAT, THE SECOND A LIGHT, FLESH COLORED THROAT, THE THIRD HAS A YELLOWISH GREEN THROAT.

MARCH 1, 1949

TODAY WAS SPENT PREPARING FOR THE TRIP TO VERACRUZ. I CAUGHT A SINGLE SCELOPORUS IN THE PARKING AREA OF THE LOS ANGELES COURTS. WE DROVE TO PUEBLA AND SPENT THE NIGHT.

MARCH 2, 1949.

LEFT PUEBLA EARLY, DROVE TO ORIZABA (MT.). THE LOW LAND TO THE WEST OF THE MOUNTAIN IS EXCEEDINGLY DRY. THERE WAS NO VEGETATION, AND THE VOLCANIC DUST LIES THICK ALL OVER. THERE WAS NO WATER AND NO STREAMS. WE TRIED TO CLIMB IT FROM THE WEST, BUT ALL ROADS LIE INCHES DEEP IN DUST, AND THE TRUCK COULDN'T PULL IT. WE THEN LEFT THE MOUNTAIN AND WENT NORTH TO PEROTE. WE TRIED TO CLIMB THE COFRE DE PEROTE FROM THE CITY OF PEROTE, BUT THE TRUCK AGAIN STALLED. WE THEN CONTINUED AROUND TO THE NORTH, AND WENT UP FROM A SMALL TOWN NAMED SIERRA DE AGUA. WE CLIMBED TO A SMALL VILLAGE, LOS PESCADOS, AND SPENT THE NIGHT IN A MEADOW SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE VILLAGE. I FOUND ONE SCELOPORUS UNDER A LOG AS WE CAME UP THE MOUNTAIN, BUT I AM NOW HIGHLY UNCERTAIN AS TO WHICH INDIVIDUAL IT IS. THIS SIDE OF THE COFRE HAS QUITE HEAVY PINE COVER, AND WE ARE CAMPED NEAR A SMALL STREAM. THERE ARE SPRINGS IN THE MOUNTAINS.

[left page] 12 MARCH 3, 1949.

WENT OUT ALONG THE SMALL STREAM BEFORE BREAKFAST, AND FOUND A SPRING A SHORT WAYS BELOW THE CAMP. I PICKED UP 5 SALAMANDERS HERE, 4 OF THEM UNDER THE SAME ROCK, HIGH ON THE SIDES. I ALSO GOT ONE SCELOPORUS HERE, AND WAGNER CAUGHT A SECOND. THEY WERE ALL UNDER ROCKS IN A DRY FIELD.

WE BROKE CAMP AND WENT HIGHER AFTER BREAKFAST. WE FINALLY STOPPED IN AN ALPINE MEADOW AT ABOUT 10,500 FT. THE VILLAGE OF LOS CONEJOS IS JUST OVER THE MOUNTAIN ABOUT 1/2 MILE. THE PEAK OF COFRE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF OUR CAMP, IT IS AN ENORMOUS RECTANGLE, LOOKING LIKE A COFFIN, HIGH IN THE SKY. IT IS ABOUT 4,000 FEET ABOVE US.

THE ALPINE MEADOW IN WHICH WE ARE CAMPED IS QUITE FLAT AND FULL OF LOGS. IT IS SURROUNDED BY FIR TREES, ALTHO THERE ARE PINE GROVES HIGHER YET. THE LOGS IN THE MEADOW ARE FULL OF SCELOPORUS, AND SEVERAL MEXICANS AND I BUILT UP A LARGE COLLECTION OF THEM.

MACHINTOSH TURNED OVER A LOG AT THE EDGE OF A SMALL CREEL AND FOUND A CROTALUS TRISERIATUS. HE CALLED TO ME AND I CAUGHT IT. IT WAS VERY SMALL (MEASUREMENTS JUST BEFORE PRESERVING - DEAD: BODY 332mm., TAIL (INC. RATTLE) 38MM., TOTAL 370mm. THE MEXICANS TURNED UP ANOTHER RATTLER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MEADOW IN A SEEPAGE AREA, UNDER A LOG. BOTH OF THE SPECIMENS WERE IN QUITE DAMP AREAS. THE 2ND MEASURED: BODY 437mm., TAIL 53mm., TOTAL 490mm. HE HAD A MICROTUS MEXICANUS IN ITS STOMACH. BOTH WERE FEMALES, I BELIEVE.

A PINE GROVE, A LITTLE FARTHER DOWN SLOPE THAN THE CAMP, PRODUCED AN AMAZING VARIETY OF SALAMANDERS. ALL OF THE FOLLOWING WERE FOUND:

[right page] MARCH 3, 1949 (CONT.)

SALAMANDERS - 1ST SPECIES - SAME AS ON AJUSCO, IN CANON CONTRERAS.

2ND SPECIES - LARGER THAN REST, A FAIRLY UNIFORM LIGHT BROWN, WITH A IRREGULAR ROW OF SILVER FLECKS ALONG UPPER SIDE, ALMOST FORMING A GOOD DORSOLATERAL STRIPE. THE SIDES ARE THE SAME BROWN COLOR ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN, THEN THE SLIGHTLY DARKER BELLY COLOR GOES THE REST OF THE WAY AROUND. THE BROWN IS QUITE RICH, ALMOST A GOLDEN BROWN, OR COOL TAFFY.

3RD TYPE - THERE IS A STRONG DORSOLATERAL LINE SEPARATING THE BLACK OF THE SIDES FROM THE GREY OF THE BACK, THERE IS A FAINT BLACK VERTEBRAL LINE FORKING ON THE NAPE, TO EACH EYE. THE BACK IS GREY WITH TINY FAINT REDDISH ORANGE FLECKING. THE SIDES ARE BLACK WITH MUCH SILVER FLECKING. THE FLECKING IS ABSENT ON THE BELLY, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY LIGHTER BLACK. THE CHIN IS FLECKED WITH SILVER.

4TH TYPE - THIS IS MUCH SIMILAR TO THE 2ND TYPE, BUT IT HAS A DORSOLATERAL LINE OF GOLD, MADE OF THICKLY CONCENTRATED FLECKS. THIS LINE IS BORDERED BELOW WITH BLACK, WHICH FADES RAPIDLY INTO A BLUISH GREY BELLY. THE BACK IS ABOUT THE SAME BROWN AS IN THE 2ND TYPE.

ALL OF THESE WERE TAKEN IN A QUITE DRY PINE GROVE. ONE COULD BE CERTAIN THAT A SALAMANDER WOULD BE UNDER THE LOG, IF THERE WAS ANY SIGN OF DAMPNESS THERE. THE GROUND WAS HEAVILY COVERED WITH PINE NEEDLES. FALLEN LOGS WERE ABUNDANT, SOME QUITE DRY, OTHERS DAMP, NONE WET. THERE WAS NO GROUND WATER THAT I COULD SEE. ALL KINDS OF SALAMANDERS LISTED WERE TAKEN IN THE SAME PLACE, AND USUALLY SEVERAL OF THEM UNDER THE SAME