Journal 17 October 1971 Nri Tuxpan, Nayarit, Mexico. Ining with "Attaran." Road traversed mound of roots through mangroves - little solid ground. Santo Cruz, San Andres, other settlements on solid ground. Bole & palm thatch houses. Bijo's had brothers & friends here. We visited one family, in- cluding man said to be 105 yrs. old (wife maybe only 90 yrs.). They dry shrimp in sun on sheet metal. Sky weather always cool; June-July wettest. Shrimps taken 3 months of year. Much of mangrove area dried up by December one; can even drive on bed. / Beds of fine sand; palm shelters with tables - we drank beer, ate "lija" fish, shrimps, shrimp tamales too. Ocean muddy but otherwise clean. One of Tres Marias islands visible (person on one; pancho there). / We later embossed a diesel plow & gas drums, finally returning to Tuxpan after dark. / On way back saw 2 flocks of peris speckleds, osprey, longfishers, avocets, black- neelterns, Inca (?) doves (chestnut wings). / How now spoke of caimanus, up to 14 feet long. Some "tiger" tales too. / Returned to America Hotel tonight. No rain today. 18 October 1971. Clear morning. Alvaro Ramos (Pepi distrib- uter across Laguna Brava) and boy in his office said had seen no kider cats in Tuxpan market. We took 0900 bus to Santiago (4 p.), then Tepic bus to "crucero de San Blas" (4 p.). Here this was restaurant, garden, cages with mopping jays, marmots (from Colombia), popagallas, parrots, and two jaguars. Talked w. Heriberto Barra E., owner and hunting guide. Saw his 10+ hounds. Then we