Meari Creek-Kaindi From the workings we followed the wartime Bulldog Road for about 1 1/2 miles to the divide between Edie Creek and the Watut (or head of Wau Creek?). Road grown over with brambles, etc. all but a small trail, washed out in places, and no longer passable for vehicles. It goes 60 miles to Bulldog Landing on the Lakakamu in Papua. Troops walked it in three days. Twenty-five pounders, ammunition and food supplies were brought over it for the Batlle of Wau. Followed a good native track which went straight down the forested slopes from near the divide to the old dam above the gold workings on Edie Creek. Time lost in visiting cut down my results in plants but I collected 16 spp. including 3 of Rhododendron, a Vaccinium and a Dimorphantera, the scrambling bamboo of the area, and an Elaeocarpus of the second growths. These are true montane forests, rather heavily mossed on the spur we followed down from the road. I expected the dominant trees to be Nothofagus , but the bulk of the trees were Castanopsis. Phyllocladus was plentiful. A number of species could not be recognized from the ground. I would call the forest we saw Castanopsis-Phyllo- cladus forest. Say four Rhododendron species in addition to those collected, all sterile. The general area in which we are camped was called Kaindi in the early mining days. Have therefore decided to call the collecting locality Kaindi rather than Meari Creek. Average altitude is about 6750 feet by our aneroid. Had Bob Franklin and Bill Bradley to dinner in the evening. Learned that a Mrs. Emory, of Wau, has for some years had the mining boys of this area scouring the mountains for orchids. Mrs. Emory said to have a fine collection of slathouse plants, native and exotic. Wednesday, May 13. Overcast day with a lot of drizzle and a few light showers; sune broke through briefly at times in late afternoon. Temperature at noon on our front porch was 70 F. Weather is from the SE. Collected up a water race that fed the old Day Dawn battery from an intake about 1/2 mile up the main Meari Creek. All second growths and open clayey slopes, but I gathered 29 species including 9 bryophytes. The only local second growth element familiar to me is Homalanthus populifolius, which is fairly common. Have not seen enough of the second growths to list the chief dominants, but among them are two spp. of Saurauia, one with big leaves and very bulky inflorescences, the other with crowded oblanceolate leaves. Four ferns included 2 Hymenolepis spp. and a terrestrial Pteris, the latter from a stony landslip. Saw my 8th species of Rhododendron for the locality; apparently R. macgregoriae, but past flowering. Was surprised to find a Gaultheria on the clayey open slopes. Colonies of Gunnera occur on slight terraces along the creek. About 1/2 dozen small rats from traps, comprising R. niobe, R. verecundus, and a rather unexpected R. exulans. Van and John, accompanied by Bill Bradley, went into several old mine tunnels this afternoon but saw not a bat. In attempts at dusk shooting, only one species of small bat has been seen. The three white hunters, plus Hetanin and Kim the cook have gone up the Mt. Kaindi Road into the big primary forest tonight after dinner. Later: in 1 1/2 hours nothing seen up the road except bats. For a ridge which looks sterile in daylight hours, and a locality with few bats, this has proved surprisingly good for the light trapping of insects. Had a good, varied but not large catch last night. Now, at 8:15, things are coming in