Paul DeBenedictis Jan 4 memories and recollections Mex trip (Dec 15 when stranded on Bejon Pass. At Thousand Palms everyone but Gary went out on the sand duns. There were tracks everywhere. Most of them were beetles, but there were a few lizards and "snakes". Most of the snakes turned out to be those of sticks blowing across the sand, but some, including what must have been a huge rattler, seemed genuine. Lots of mammals here. At night, in Whitewater canyon, I lost all track of time. I thought it was about two in the morning when John came. I wonder what this area looks like when it is in bloom?. Now it is all more or less dried sagebrush, creosote, and chola cactus. We used all for our (Elvey's first of what was to be a constant series) fire. They burn with much smoke. (Dec 16 My notes are really good for today. Gary thought the rough-shinned hawk was a rare Mexican species. It was landing in an alfalfa patch.. (Dec 17. Notes are good for the morning. The spot we stopped at in the desert looked much better than it actually was. The first ground squirrel disappeared in the rocks and we never saw it. The snout butterfly flys funnily-clumsy, but rapidly, all of a sudden disappearing as it lands on a bush. It looks much like a leaf when it lands. The wrens T,