E. Heske 1981 Journal Vista Hermosa to 5.4 mi NE (by rd) El Machin, Oaxaca, Mexico January, cont Spent most of the morning preparing study specimens while the sun dried out our gear. Headed S on Hwy 175 towards Oaxaca ~ 1100. Habitat becomes Pine, oak forest shortly past La Esperanza; lots of relatively undisturbed forest on both sides of the road. Stopped at a roadside turnout 5.4 mi NE El Machin (16.5 mi SW La Esperanza) to camp + set traps ~ 1300. I spent a couple hours helping David look for salamanders (only found 1, he found 5: see D.A. Good's field notes). I set 40 Sherman traps (hen scratch on the S side of the road. Habitat is 30° N-facing slope, stream at bottom and occasional streams running down slope. Very moist. Lots of moss-covered fallen logs, large trees. Patches where slope is very brushy + overgrown, others where mostly logs, rocks cover the ground. Moss in the trees. The opposite side of the road is drier, fewer logs + smaller trees, leaf litter floor (S-facing slope). Duke 20 traps here in addition to 40 on the S. side. We are almost at tree line here, well above the clouds. On the hills the pines + oaks are somewhat stunted. David said botanists describe type of forest on the S-facing slopes as