1948 Archbold Cape York Expedition Journal of G. H. H. Tate. December1, 1947-October27, 1948
Page 139
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Transcription
set at the baited cavity beneath the bait guard. Despite my having set the traps "hard", the crickets by crowd onto the heads, often set the tops off. They were Camillabatic & the newcomers enthusiastically devoured the stiff living bodies of those snapped in the tops. In one sprung trap with loose treadle I saw one cricket wrestling with the movable treadle in its attempts to get at the bait under the bait guard, raising & lowering the hinged treads in its attempt. Several crickets came into camps, apparently attracted by our fires. The crickets appeared to be more plentiful when rain or fog-drip was falling. Rain stopped at about 7 pm. Night remained dry. Picked up traps in the morning. 3 new grass belongs at Fardon Sully. Jeff & Willi came after 10 to help move Camps down below. Annied hit after 12. Van meanwhile had trapped a native cat, Satanellus & Procton had left on a few large male spotted cuscus. A few smaller mammals had been brought in, but the fauna in general remains very scanty. From the Tozer area facially we have only 11 species. And we come out next morning. Sat July 10 Another native cat (Van) - a young & with its pouch and a distinctive purplish pink. Females 4-4 = 8 Pouch of y. animal little developed. Dr. Jon cycled out on west road photographing. Couple fresh foot prints of dingos & pigs but none of wallaby. New signs of bandicoots. Sun July 11. Last night made an eight-trap set for dingos, the tracks of which were numerous on the road ½ mile to a mile west of camps. Nothing caught or disturbed this morning, however. Fine, fair day yesterday & everything dried up. Today cloudy & threatened shower again.