Early in 1960 an unusual opportunity arose to carry on biological field
work in the midst of virgin rainforest in southern El Petén, Guatemala.
At that time the Ohio Oil Company of Guatemala had an air strip and camp
at Chinajá, from which place the company was constructing a road
northward through the forest. In mid-February, 1960, J. Knox Jones, Jr.
and I flew into El Petén to collect and study mammals, reptiles, and
amphibians. While enjoying the comforts of the fine field camp at
Chinajá, we worked in the surrounding forest and availed ourselves of
the opportunity to be on hand when the road crews were cutting the tall
trees in the forest, thereby bringing to the ground many interesting
specimens of the arboreal fauna. We stayed at Chinajá until late March,
with the exception of a week spent at Toocog, another camp of the Ohio
Oil Company located 15 kilometers southeast of La Libertad and on the
edge of the savanna. Thus, at Toocog we were able to work both in the
forest and on the savanna. In the summer of 1960, John Wellman
accompanied me to El Petén for two weeks in June and July. Most of our
time was spent at Chinajá, but a few days were spent at Toocog and other
localities in south-central El Petén.
