-76- Tuesday, June 16, 1953: Max. 22, Min. 4.5°C. Bright crisp dawn. Clear most of day in camp. Down in the beech forests at 2050-1950 m., light rain began at 11:48 and mist and drizzle continued until 2:30, when I climbed out of the zone. Attention to yesterday's plants kept me late in camp. Was ac- coutred to leave at 10, when a carrier and a small boy arrived from Biniguni, having spept at our embryo camp at 5300 ft. Ken wrote that he wishes to move us down to #2 (5300 ft.) Camp Saturday morning. Has Borovia people ready to do the job then. Our fresh stores from Samarai were landed at Baiawa by the "Ruru" on the 10th. Thinks that in recent transport from the coast thê carriers have been stealing rice from unsealed drums. Took the opportunity to send two more bundles of dried plant materials down to Biniguni. Stimulated probably by the rains which began May 29, many plants of the forest are now coming into flower. Have been collecting numbers of orchids lately. A tantalizing group. There are so many species, mostly small and inconspicuous, and so many of them can be collected only as single plants. Schlechter has been criticized for describing 2300 orchid spëcies from New Guinea, and doubts [illegible] thrown on the value of his work. His critics would do well to botanize in the mountains and see for themselves the astounding abundance and diversity of the family. Wednesday, June 17, 1953: Max 22, Min. 2°C. Heavy frost on the grass; the first for many days. Clear fine day in camp. Gwariu Gorge filled with mist cloud in late afternoon. Worked on collections in camp and sent two boys to search through a gully patch of forest high [illegible]m the opposite Atairo slopes which I had not examined. Results small, but among them a large-flowered tree of the Elaeocarpaceae, with dehiscent fruits, which may be anew genus. I found fallen flowers of the tree yesterday, but the forest was so full of mist that I was unable to find where the flowers came from. A big molossid, free-tailed bat (Otomops?) shot by Van at dusk. The old story of things very good turning up when one is about to vacate a camp and has slight chance of getting further specimens. Thursday, June 18, 1953: Max 22, Min. 2°C. Heavy frost followed by a bright day without mist or cloud, which is out of the ordinary. A temperature high of 24.5°C - 1.5 ° above the previous record. Finished collecting for this camp, apart from what light traps yield in insects and steel traps in mammals tonight. Packing of col- lections, gear and surplus stores has begun. Friday, June 19, 1953: Max. 24.5, Min. 2°C. Clear frosty morning: some high thin cloud through most of the day The nrthern slopes below us hidden in beautiful white clouds this afternoon. No message having been received to the contrary, I assume that Ken was able to get the carriers he needed & will be here in the morning to move us down to the 154 m. camp. Sent a boy (Billy) down to meet him, & watch camp tomorrow.