148 Kassam the crest of the range, then went c. east along a good path through very tall forest in which rain forest elements formed a conspicuous admixture with the oaks and Castanopsis. Altitude about 5000 ft. No evidence of wind blasting or frequent mist on the crest of the scarp. Collected a fairly common big sapotaceous tree of the canopy layer, with green flowers smelling like rotten bananas; recognized Himantandra, a common big Calophyllum (collected sterile), and several Lauraceae. Biggest tree felled was of the Lauraceae. Thursday, November 5. The rainless, about half overcast weather continues. Botanized downstream in the forest on the far side of the creek; this side of the stream is entirely grass. A number of interesting plants, indicating mixing of lowland and highland elements. Two spp. of Pasania, both with small acorns and underside of leaves floccose. A very fragrant yellow-flowered Tecoma was somehow unexpected, although I collected another species a good 2000 ft. higher at Kotuni. A real prize, only recognized today though collected first some 2-3 days ago, was Annesijoa of the Euphorbiaceae, known only, I think from the original German collection in this Territory, a collection of mine in Dutch New Guinea, and now Kassam. This peculiar endemic genus has its known near relatives in Jatropa, etc. in the Americas. Friday, November 6. Change in weather. Overcast early morning. Strong wind up valley. About 50/50 sun and shade through day. Heavy showers from 6 p.m. into night. The upvalley wind is from c. SW. Botanized up a branch of our camp stream in a NNW direction. Still getting interesting things mainly of sporadic occurrence in the primary forest. Two or three spp. of Lauraceae added to the already considerable number collected in this locality. A good name for the primary forest would be Castanopsis-oak- Lauraceae forest, if the pundits would allow such a scrambling of terms. Among the oaks, Pasania is by far more abundant than Lithocarpus. Have still to find the Castanopsis in fertile condition, but consider it C. acumatissima. A good day for mammals. Lorentzomys in traps, Syconycteris in a net, and Hyomys and Pseudocheirus corinnae brought in by natives, all new to the collection for Kassam. We last got Hyomys at Pengagl and Lorentzomys at Purosa. Mammal spp. for the camp now 24. Taking this and Arau together as not-far-separated Kratke Mts. localities, we now have 39 spp., Shaw-Mayer had 36 spp. Both collections contain species not in the other. With 52-53 known species, the Kratke Mts. must be by far the richest locality in New Guinea for mammals. Yesterday being the day of the week when the marys do maintenance work on the roads, and the men loaf in the shade nearby, John drove to near Arona to talk Tachyglossus to the natives. Asked them to bring in any fragments they may have of this and Zaglossus. Early this am. assorted natives brought in the nose part of a Zaglossus skull fashioned into a chisel, and spines and bones which could belong to either of the monotremes. Saturday, November 7. Overcast most of the day from early morning. Heavy inter- mittent rain 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. For two or three days now we have been conscious of increasing temperatures. No doubt the beginning of the built up for the rains. Noted temperatures of 84 and 85 F at my worktable in the house yesterday and today. Lowest temperature noted has been 60 F.