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[[left page blank]] [[end page]] [[start page]] [[underlined]]Newcastle[[/underlined]] The R.R. follows around the edge of the Black Hills, just cutting through a few points of pines. A few detached series of high, pine covered buttes are seen to the west. The road runs through grassy valleys most of the way. Cactus & sage brush are conspicuous features north of Ardmore. Edgmont would be a good place to stop & see if Geomys or Thomomys inhabits the sandy bottoms of the Cheyenne R. Got my mail. Saw Elam Blain, who kept my horses & made arrangements to have the wagon brought in in morning for some repairs. Hunted & set traps up the creek canon and over the mountain side. Killed nothing. Cold & raw. Saw but few birds. [[underlined]]May 19[[/underlined]] Caught a Thomomys, a Sitomys, an Arvicola austerus & 2 A. riparius. Made up the skins. Got my wagon wheels fixed loaded up with part of my outfit & went with Elam Blain to his ranch 5 miles S.W. of town. Set out some traps for Putarius nigripes & small things. Blain described P. nigripes & says he saw one last winter & saw their tracks in a large P.D. town close by. Found my horses in pretty good shape. Saw one Lepus campestris. A cool day & windy.