TROCHET, J. 1990 Journal 51 Meadow Valley Wash from 3/4 mile S. of Elgin to Caliente Lincoln Co., Nevada. Elevation 4400 ft. August 9 (Coit) Cholla. Flowers were few. Thistle was rare, there was some helianthus and yellow sunflower. The floodplain was cut by many stream channels, and here it was 250 yards wide and confined by strip slopes. Nearer Elgin the floodplain narrowed to about 70 yards, and here I found also blackberry, pine oak, goose and Tamarix. Where talus slopes had become stratified bajadas, together with a few junipers grew, with some Larrea (creosote) growing on W-facing slopes. I walked this stretch from dawn to 09:00, and found the bridge to be surprisingly scarce and very quiet. I then began my deliberate driving/walking survey back north toward Caliente. At 3/4 mile (by road) north of Elgin I found a DOR Great Basin rattlesnake (22"). At 1 1/4 miles north, I saw a blue gertrud and the sunflower was now pink. At 2.5 miles N, the canyon narrows and there is surface water with a good flow. Here there is lots of Typha, willows, clover and a few ferns. The cottonwoods are not really big (about 10-12 inches and 30-35 ft tall). I found common yellowthroat here. At 3.6 miles N, there is a mix of Typha & Salix, and habitat is essentially the same. There there is less uniformity in size of cottonwoods. At 4.5 miles N, I'm still in the mirrors. There is less and shorter riparian vegetation. Rock worn was on an E-facing talus slope. At 5.9 miles N of Elgin, there was a river dam & workings, the dam impounding water occupied by bullfrogs. Black phoebe and a pair of Indigo Buntings were here. At 6.5 miles N, the canyon opens up and the wash has a drier aspect. At 7.5 miles N, there is some surface water (not moving) but little vegetation and not much