JPMyers 1979 Journal Farmhouse Area, Estancia Wieland, 35 Km S. of Tandilaby road, Pido de Malariaga, Pcia de Bs. Aires, Argentina 14 January cont'd Grass is Lawn + much less dense. This may be due to periodic burning, not in evidence on this particular site but something done by the Estancia to encourage foraging for cattle, or to the possibility that the sandy soil (as compared to that elsewhere) we had passed) is too conducive to luxuriant pampas grass growth. The whole route, except for immediately beside the swamp, and the return down the road, was over short sand during the formation. Even the Pampas grass area is such (so the above possibility may be unlikely) rolls sharply, with mounds 3-5' high and less than 20' across alternating with depressions. In the depressions are girdle crater, and in the larger ones there are small swamps, with tile, rails, etc. But going N10 from the edge of the swamp, when we did, within 200 m the local relief ceased its moundiness, becoming an almost level alluvial plain dropping gradually into the next swamp to the W (grid 3). The change from mounds to smoothness is sharp, + accompanied by a change in vegetation. Short grass, lawn-like in character begins upon the level plain. And with it come Golden Plaques and Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Immediately upon entering the plain we came upon 14 Buffalos and 45 goldens. By this time (1130) the wind had picked up fiercely, and we'd already been just mauled by a squall. A few drops fell (or rather with the wind - we were smashed upon us) as we returned to camp. Grid 5, Towerllanos, Estancia Wieland, Pido de Malariaga, Pcia de Bs. Aires, Argentina Drove to Tower at 2030 in order to camp + Hulse (in a good position for dawn netting). En route, just at the site where we turn off the road to land for the tower, I spotted a flock of 20 buffalos in the fallow cornfield, looking as if they were prepared to move. Briefly got stuck in the ditch before the tower, again almost in the depression at the foot of the tower. Incredible hordes of insects hovering over the road, the fences, ditches, etc - any that, which was different from the level Pampas plain. They were so thick that at a distance of 300 yds I thought it was just a small yielded fog. To my relief they were not mosquitoes, but a non-biting, very similar (although larger) beast. During the evening we slapped mosquitoes placed between (I discovered that they have now broken all 4 of usg, the forwards gang guy wire) and looked for the Comet in vain. Wind did at dusk, 5% clouds, 14°C.