well-healed. On the 7th and 8th we landed to collect the first day on the mainland and the next on Sariba Island. We found very few birds and none desirable. All the country round about has been made into gardens or timber tracts; the bush that is reachable seems to harbor very few fruit trees—doves and pigeons are decidedly lacking. But for the common magpies, flycatchers, and king fishers—the forest is as silent as a tomb. The key to collecting on the mainland is the distribution of the flora which controls the range of birds. The greatest feeding areas are to be found in and beyond the Meles District. We can find very little of interest near Samarai; and the strong tides make the row back to the ship a mat- ter of hours. Just at present it flows just the wrong way every afternoon. The ship, locat-ed at Bellesana, about 6 miles away offers some good hunting land; but it is impos-sible to reach it unless a launch is char-tered, which is too expensive. All the boys have kept busy about the ship, polishing up details. The rigging lex-