153 Water Rice-Umi River We go on to the Umi River tomorrow. This short term camp at Water Rice was planned for the mammals it might yield. It has been poor in plants -- 40 collection numbers, 256 herbarium sheets. Nights have been too windy for insect trapping at the light, except last night, when I had a fair catch of small moths and even smaller insects. Odonata are plentiful, but in few species, not more than about 10 being caught in rather numerous specimens. Have not been bothering about butterflies. The camp has been pleasant. Days not too hot (noted 84 F at noon today); the heat usually modified by a breeze up or down the valley. The people are semi- sophisticated, but likeable. Most of them tall, slender, and with thin features. This seems especially the case with the women. Not many young men about; probably away at work. Children of both sexes always around our camp, bright, happy, and in no way a nuisance. For the first time in many months, we heard drums at night. Friday, November 13. Completely overcast day following much rain last night at Water Rice. Rain began about 8 p.m. from one of several scattered thunderstorms and continued, sometimes heavily, until about 4 this a.m. Traps had to be lifted and botanical specimens worked on before we packed up for the move to the Umi. Left Water Rice at 9 a.m., arrived Umi 10:05; distance 14 miles (our Speedometer registers only whole miles; distance on the way up from Lae in June 12 miles). Altitude 1600 ft. uncorrected; this was my altitude in June. The rains of last night has run the Bibwoi River across the road and for about 100 yards below it. Rain had fallen on all the road, the surface of the black soil sticky, and throwing up against the mudguards. Natives had been camping in the resthouse at Umi and left the place full of rubbish and ashes of their fires. Roomy old thatched structure with dirt floor. We are using it for living and working quarters, the boys are in a fly, the cook has his usual rough lean-to roofed with the very old Forest Dept. fly which we use to cover the trailer while traveling. We are about a mile up a forested gorge where a swing bridge of steel cables and Marsden matting spans the river. There was not much air movement this afternoon, and we felt the muggy heat. A second govt. thatched house contains two wheel barrows, add 10 greasy old cases of ge- lignite. No warning about the gelignite is posted. Probably the remains of a stock used for road blasting. Wartime fuel drums and Marsden matting lie about. Two 50-gal. drums and 2 strips of Marsden matting make us a table 8 x 2 ft. 8 in. Zoological collections of Van's at Water Rice were 21 mammals of 9 spp.: Petaurus (peculiar (peculiar roan nether parts), Satanellus, Phalanger maculatus (white male without any markings), Hydromys, Melomys, Rattus ruber, Nyctimene, Nycticeius (new for collection) and Pteropus macrotis. Herps 322, mostly brought in by children; frogs 308 (8 spp.), lizards 2 (2 spp.) snakes 12 (8 spp.). Present totals for the expedition: mammals 2110, herps 4077, plants 3413. Six small fishes of 2 spp. were caught on bent pins from the bridge at Water Rice. Saturday, November 14. Light rain began about 8 p.m. and continued until at least 3 in the morning. Day half overcast. Muggy afternoon. No rain before dark. Breeze moves down the valley (from c. W) most of the day, with puffs from opposite direction.