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season the walnut trees are just leaving & they form the chief trees in the landscape near villages. We met quite a few Shans on the road going down to Hsing chen to the market but most of the farmers of the region are Chinese. This is the poorest reptile country (Salween Valley) considering its tropical nature & dryness I have visited. The Salween is hot & dry with plenty of cover & rocks but not a lizard is visible along the road & snakes are never seen nor are their tracks met with in the dust of the road. We have in 10 days work & travel secured one snake & 2 lizards only.

[[circled left]] 31 [[/circled left]] The route was continued in the early morning. It led down into the valley [strikethrough]] not [[/strikethrough]] of the Salween not far from Hsing Chen & then went north to the main Yung-Chang Teng yueh road. The bridge over the Salween was visible most of the way. It is of two spans & suspended the two parts not in line but broken at the middle pier. The Salween valley continues wide