June 6, J. 1992 Journal Armstrong Ranch, 2 miles E. of Armstrong, Kendall Co., Texas. Elevation 20 feet. May 6-11 I believe the real purpose was to show off his beautiful ranch. In (cant) the course of our travels we make several stops to conduct his busi- ess, several others for me to listen for birds, and several more to observe wildlife. He regaled me with stories of his family, going back to his maternal great-grandfather's birth in Mazagatosas in 1790. I won't put it all down here, but there's enough material for a very good novel. This personal & regional history was conveyed to me, along with a lesson or ten in cattle ranching, by a personal friend (as he said) of both Lyman Johnson and John Tower. In our drive today we visited all the ranch south and east of the Residencies, out to the Laguna Madre. The elevation range is 0-25 feet. (There are a few higher stabilized dunes W. of Hwy 77.) The western, generally higher portion of the covered area is fairly evenly divided into two oak mottes, mesquite thickets, and short grass prairie, i.e., many species of grasses and forbs. Exotic trees are found at current and former residence sites on the ranch. Sabal Texasana is native to the Rio Grande Valley proper, but was introduced at the current Armstrong Residence & at Sarita Kendall, Easte Santa Rosa Ranch House (abandoned) and is spreading into native habitats therefrom. As one proceeds E. toward the Gulf of Mexico, live oak mottes become less frequent, smaller in extent and populated by smaller trees. Mesquite & Huizache seem about as common as before, but the trees are more spread out & generally smaller. Near the Laguna Madre, the trees are altogether absent, yielding a prairie dominated by Spartina cord grass and dotted with scattered yuccas about 6-8' in height. There are numerous shallow lacinas which might have water except for seven consecutive years of drought before the last 6 months.