OCTOBER, 1924 
 
NATURE MAGAZINE 
 
THE FAMOUS PAPAGO TANK IN FLINT-HARD BASALTIC LAVA 
The best of the only two water holes west of the Pinacate Mountains, containing
water that is clean, clear and good. The mountain 
sheep live in this kind of desolate and unpromising country. 
a month in studying some of its institutions. Pro-       save the mountain
sheep and antelope of Mexico 
fessor Alfonso L. Herrera, the dean of the biolo-        from  complete extermination.
     Professor Herrera 
gists of Mexico, is a distinguished man. He has          solemnly promised
that he would do everything 
 
maae nis mark as a 
zoologist and botanist, 
author, teacher, founder 
and director of scientific 
institutions in Mexico. 
His title is Director of 
the Biological Studies of 
Mexico, and under him 
are the National Mu- 
seum, the new Zoologi- 
cal Park, Aquarium and 
Botanical Garden. 
Being one of those 
now rare survivors of 
past times - an   "old- 
fashioned  naturalist"- 
Professor Herrera is in- 
terested in practical 
zoology and wild life 
preservation. D u r i n g 
the week that he spent 
in the Zoological Park, 
we spent hours in dis- 
cussing  the  present 
status and the future 
prospects of the fauna 
 
tnat ne coma to accom- 
plish that end. "But," 
he added regretfully, "I 
fear that nothing can be 
done until the Mexican 
Congress again reassem- 
bles. That will not be 
until next     winter" 
(1923). It was pointed 
out that this would mean 
another six months of 
sheep and antelope hunt- 
ing, with terrible results 
to the remnant bands of 
those vanishing species. 
Vowing to the last 
moment, "I will do my 
best,"  Professor Her- 
rera left for Mexico 
about September 10. 
On October 3, 1922, 
we were thrilled by the 
receipt from him of the 
astounding news that on 
September 30, President 
Alvaro Obregon had 
 
UJ ±vCx C.U.   vC P UL up              DWARF MOUNTAIN SHEEP RAM  
                   s gn1tU tWO separa e de- 
a special plea for prompt   This animal is here seen on the black lava of
Pinacate, as immor- crees granting ten years 
m e a s u r e s that would             talized in a painting by Carl Rungius.
       of absolute close-season