TROCHET, J.A. 1992 Journal Armstrong Ranch, 2 miles E. of Armstrong Kennedy Co. Texas. Elevation 20 feet May 6-11 About 22:00, Mr. Armstrong drove up to my camp. I walked (cost) up to his truck, he rolled down his window and announced, "I am extracting payment from you for permission to work on my ranch. Be at the house at 8:00 a.m. Tomorrow." Then he drove slowly away, rolling up his window as he left! Then there was the illegal alien. When I returned to my camp at the end of day, I found a young man sitting in my camp chair closing his socks. Saying he was from Guanajuato, he said he was left by his "cripto" somewhere south of Laredo, before passing the immigration checkpoint further north. I gave him a couple apples, a canned water or beer cola, the approximate location of the checkpoint, how to identify Polaris, and good wishes that he make it to Chicago, where he said his father resides. Abstractly, I really think our country needs better control of its borders. But when faced with the individual person want- ing to make this nation his own, I couldn't help but want to help say that him. Parenthetically, I should, the young man (16 years old) told me of widespread habitat loss in his native state and the increa-singly unlivable conditions of cities and towns due to pollution. I think the third world may soon be a source of a flood of ecological refugees. At 08:00 May 7, I dutifully appeared at the door of Mr. Robin Armstrong's house. In a full length dog cart for repair of a ruptured patellar tendon, he jumped into his big truck and I was informed that I would spend much of the day opening gates & shearing cattle from one fenced area to another. We were also going to stock some pines with grass. I have no doubt that my presence made his task easier, but