Journal 14 April 1977 Guatemala dry open mixed brush, rare cultivation. Agua Caliente river, bridge out - palms & mango trees in flood plain. Occur. silk cotton tree, calabash, mango (green fruit). Lots some columnar cactus, dry spring brush, guava bushes; El Bagazo. Occured small patch a few feet forestation. Dense muddy Metapan river at El Rancho jet, many new food stalls, chicken & coconut, guava, watermelon. We changed to bus to Balacá, 66 km. On way, small villages, cactus fences. Bank to Morazán about 1800'. Margins, irregular hills, dry & rocky, open brush. Green valley to E (Morazán ?). Road cuts thin gray serpentine. Occur. Aspidistra or giant acalingia? K 200-11'- Rain started about 250', shortly before San Lucas (gas, lodging). Rain to 56'; (E 10") small rain, small cover (= h. escape?). /Aspidistra & oak mixed in rain. Map limited upward. Steep slopes; occur. small house. No recent clearing of rain. Cerro Santo Vista Hermosa 3500'. Small forest. Occur. Santa field Ocho to tell. Rocky soil. Deposits & stone 3700'. Settled small houses on ridges. Some level slopes Occur. brush north. Branches in rain. Cactus solution +100'. Cerro de Santa Elena (fish to salina) w. trail & jungle station, food stall. Brown sand- stone. Fire in hills above 40 to 80'. Long lianas hanging on trees. /Ok left bus CJ photo + hiked up road (34 km. to Peralta), 1030. Thick brush w. dry large branches. Patches fruit tree. Occur. Liquidambar tree, in green leaf. Muggy air. ¼ cloudy. Occur. clear forest stream from rts. /Took a bus at 1130. Santa Barbara - clearing w. 500' small houses, 3500'. Stone. Map small bushes long "Spanish moss" on trees, bro. melaleuca. Open pine forest on steep. San Matanzas 10' wide stream, broad road to E (to Chichicastenango ?). "Comisaría Policial" Finca Elvira del Derrumbe (cloud grassland). "Nido Perdido"; (2 Americans said to have a "colonia" of fruit bats; religious govt.) Cow, cattle. Pine & oak. Occur. large 1 tree. Cloud forest about 800' above above road, not over below. Small. Occur. houses (La Unión ?). Pinus house. Thin tall forest near road. Tree ferns. Corn fields on fair slopes. Some broad slopes. Snake. Town of Peralta - small & sleepy. Clothin