Hants, Dear 2009 Journal Nov. 15 la Joya Chico SW of la Joya, Veracruz, Mexico (est) Opened about 4 more hermelinds but found nothing. Spent about 15 min searching in roadbank and got 1 more P. lyrochi. Stopped searching at 15:45 and walked back to car. Drive to la joya and asked about salamanders- people know them (as "tlacmetes") but said they only see them in the wet season. cl searched in ~10 hermelinds outside town and under stones near to town for about 45 min before it got dark but found nothing. Drive to Coatepec to spend the night, staying at Hotel Moray (cheap, nice). The day was clear in the morning and warm, becoming cloudy + colder around 14:00. Nov. 16 Jocelo, Veracruz, Mexico Drove from Coatepec to a big canyon 2.8 km N (by rd) from the center of Jocelo. Lots of red banana trees amidst coffee both on flat canyon bottom and on a steep slope. Searched both in bananas and in very good leaf litter and loose soil from 11:10-12:40. Found 3 bullid frogs (Ptychshyla?), 2 on ground and one in a banana plant. Also got 1 small Cridagaster under bark on the ground. Also saw a small snake (maybe 20cm long) that looked vaguely like a garter snake. The habitat looked very good for salamanders but cl found none. cl then tried to drive to Huatusco by a road on my map that turned out not to exist. Made a series of wrong turns and then ended up on a terrible road. Got to Huatusco after dark; salamanders will have to wait until tomorrow. Stayed at Hotel Roma (cheap, not bad).