from Cerrallo, a large group was in Victoria. Visited the Caprabo family in the afternoon, they had coffee with Vergilio Roig who is hoping to based up an institute to study birds & mammals of the entire country. Nov. 29 left Mendoza at 8 and drove south via San Rafael through some well-watered flats with plantations of Populus and willows, and through some real monte. No Bolotus for Chelungs near San Rafael, Then to El Sornado (nothing) then west on the road to Petroca. The upper end of the valley (Valle de las Leñas) is being developed as a ski resort !! and instead of the dirt road that we affected, a magnificent road is already built for much of the distance. We drove in past the molder and past the resort in construction to the end of the road (a bulldozer sitting among snowdrifts). We set traps in low shrub shrub and spring bunchgrass where there was recent animal digging. Soil light but very stony. We each set two trap lines, mine with many real traps, some cage traps and NS. Anta caught a Chelungs magalonyi in the first half hour (before dark), the first one for Argentina. Slept by the road, night clear, breeze, mild temp., much warmer than at Pampa de Achala. Large fluttery bat at late dusk. Saw & heard seed swift, the invisible "growing whistler" (a swift?). We seem to be at the lower end of Valle Terocoso, 45 km ENE of Valdez castana. [see note at top of next page]