MAMMALS OF THE MEXICAN BOUNDARY. 83 



but the locality was not visited by any of our party, though many 

 of the species were collected by us in the Mimbres River (a mere 

 creek), and in the upper Palomas Lakes. The upper lakes swarmed 

 with water birds, of which many w^ere collected from April 7 to 15, 

 1892, JNIammals and reptiles were also abundant. We found but 

 few plants that were fit for the press at so early and dry a season 

 as that of our visit, but Hospital Steward Wagner, who accompanied 

 the part}'' that erected Monuments Xos. 1 to 40 on this section of the 

 Boundary Line, was more successful, as the Monument-Building Party 

 passed through the region after the rainy season. A few Fremont 

 cottouAvoods, black Avillows, kceberlinias, coarse epherdas, cacti, 

 and desert yuccas were the plants most in evidence. Between Monu- 

 ment No. 15 and Lake Palomas there is an extensive grove of desert 

 yuccas {Yucca constricta Buckle}'). 



Station No. 9. — Monument No. 23, near Columbus, New Mexico, 

 and 106 kilometers (66 miles) west of the Rio Grande. Altitude, 

 1,211 meters (3,973 feet). The region is barren and strewn with 

 scoria, with several small mountains around it, the highest being the 

 Tres Hermanas (altitude, 1,742 meters), 10 miles to the northwest. 



This dry camp was located a short distance south of the Bound- 

 ary, and occupied from April 7 to 15, 1892, during which time col- 

 lections were made in the immediate vicinity, though daily visits 

 were made by either Mr. Holzner or myself to the neighboring 

 Palomas Lakes, where most of the collecting was done, and where 

 Mr. Holzner camped for two days. 



Station No. 10. — Carrizalillo Springs, New Mexico. Altitude, 

 1,381 meters (4,531 feet). There are several large springs, in which 

 there were a few wild fowl and around which aquatic plants and a 

 few planted willows and cottonwoods grew. The nearest Monument 

 (No. 33) is 137 kilometers (85 miles) west of the Rio Grande, 

 on the parallel 31° 47'. The neighboring Carrizalillo Mountains 

 rise to the height of 2,295 meters (7,530 feet), and their summits 

 are sparsely covered Avith red juniper and smaller vegetation. At 

 this camp the first important collection of plants was made, little 

 having been found at the previous stations. A few land shells and 

 many mammals and birds were collected from AjDril 15 to 22, 1892. 

 Later in the season Hospital Steward Frank Wagner, accompanying 

 the Monument-Building party under Colonel Barlow, also collected 

 plants at this place. The Carrizalillo Mountains are of recent vol- 

 canic formation. The highest peak is of bright red rhyolite. The 

 base of this main peak is also of the holocrystalline variety of rhyo- 

 lite, of a purplish or heliotroj^e color. Other high peaks of these 

 mountains, on the Mexican side, are highly colored amygdaloidal 

 types of rhyolite. Their ruggedness and beautiful coloring give 

 them considerable beauty. 



