Pearson - 1994 9 have been long out from under the snow. Altitude at camp was 4900 ft., 700 ft.higher than Las Lenas. Drove down the valley to near Los Molles to skin and lunch. Then south on Ruta 40 to Malargue and Bardas Blancas. Slept in diverse Larrea scrub near the Rio Grande overlooking oil wells across the Valley. November 17-Through the lava beds where the Rio Grande squeezes through a narrow lava channel to Chos Malal. Hunted for tuco sign along Ruta 43 (in the direction of Andacolla), including in dunes (not very sandy) along the Rio Neuquen. Two different paisanos said there were lots of tucos "in the campo" and waved their arms toward the hills, but we saw no sign of tem. It was obvious that the Rio Neuquen, at least, had seen a lot of high water that would have flooded tucos out of low-lying dunes. Spent the night in Chos Malal. November 18- Went to the Museum in Chos Malal, but it was all historical, not at all biological. From the watchtower above the museum, one can see the dune area between the two rivers (type locality of Ctenomys); agriculture is encroaching on it, and most is subject to flooding when the rivers rise. Also looked at some dunes near the bridge across the Rio Neuquen, but no tuco sign, only guinea pig. Then drove to Zapala, much of the way unfenced, then stopped for the night in scrub a couple of km west of Ruta 40 on Ruta 66 to Las Coloradas. November 19- Morning clear, heavy dew. Three gauchos and a herd of whiteface novillos went past camp about 7 a.m. Bushy steppe habitat with scattered mallines looks very overgrazed. Lots of cola de pichi, but a diversity of Azorella, Senecio, Mulinum, duraznillo, Larrea, thornbush, etc. Left about 7:30 a.m. for Junin de los Andes. Several dead hares on the road. We looked up Susan Walker, Andres Novaro, and Carlos Rambeaud at the Centro de Ecologia Aplicada, which is along the Rio Chimehuin a few km outside of town. Susan and Andres are working with Lyn Branch, she on Lagidium and he on foxes. He has lots of radio- collared foxes, she has been locating colonies of Lagidium but doesnt seem to have a real plan of action yet. Rambeaud is the the son of the man at Las Coloradas who collected the foxes for Crespo. I think