Journal Boelf 1964 Ojo Sagua, Chilna hvr., 5200 ft. el Max. May 14 Continued. It remained mild and lazy all day with only mild wind. At 4:30 p.m. I encountered the first rattlesnake of the year. It was a large (4 ft) heavy bodied snake. It was in a little path that leads around one of the ponds. The unusual spot was between a willow and cottonwood with water and sedge on two sides of it and pacators on the other two sides. It was olive grey in color with large diamonds, had two rattles and had just eaten a cotton rat. Last year (1963) by Apr 25 m. Gutierrez had killed two rattlesnakes and I had killed two. The one today is the first that either of us has seen to date this year. Also in a mile walk along a dirt road I encountered the "tracks" of four snakes of unknown identity. These are the first snake tracks observed this year. Snake tracks was common place prior to Apr 25 in this location last year.