thread, feb 1991 Journal Ruby Mountains and Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada. June 2, 1991 This day was mostly one of observed travel. I left Sacramento, California shortly after midnight and arrived in Elko, Nevada about 07:30, having travelled via Interstate Highway 80 between the two. Having seen the Nevada Wildlife Department Office in Elko, I decided to wait until it opened at 09:30 to ask about potential field sites, and did so after breakfast at a local diner. I spoke to Bob who mentioned having seen the application for a state-wide collecting permit I submitted. He had two possible sites in mind for collecting goldfinches in the Elko area. These were along Tamsville Creek, near the village of Tamsville, and along the S. Fork Humboldt River on the Ta-moak Indian Reservation. After I left I headed for Tamsville. The deciduous vegetation along the creek in the vicinity of town and around the habitations of the villagers seemed to hold no fewer goldfinches. I then (09:30) ascended the canyon of Tamsville Creek to the end of the road in the Ruby Mountains Scenic Area, stopping several times to listen for goldfinches over the deciduous vegetation covering the slopes above the creek. I heard none. At the end of the road, one found winter once again. A more or less linear array of conifer clumps were scattered along the drainage. Snow nearly completely covered the slopes except for sizable rock & bush exposures on the southeast facing slope. I made an oval shaped route up this slope up the drainage, and then back to the car. Highlights were Hemilayan Suncrest (Rye!) and, truly, at my feet, Black Rock Firs. Back at the car (11:30), I grabbed a snack and headed back to Elko, but turned south on Nevada Highway 46 towards the Ta-moak Indian Reservation. Following an