May 19 We decide to leave for a stay at the lake to-morrow morning. Eyerdam and I busy with preparation.Riddall and the Captain both ill with fever.Developed some photographs and went ashore for a short time in the afternoon.No specimens brought in.All the more acquisitive natives are anxious to go out shooting;but the majority would simply waste ammu- nition.One youth may be useful.Speaking generally, the practice is risky. Showers during afternoon and at night. May 20 Dr. Lambert,Mr.White(his associate),Eyerdam and I finally got off at II:15 A.M.for the trip inland after the usual delays with carriers and packs.We used the same track I went over previously,- rough,coraline limestone nearly all the way.Rain fell all afternoon to make matters worse and we arrived at the terminal village on Lake Tengano in several stages of desretude about 5:30 where we took very crowded shelter in two houses.I got under a rug with a slight attack of fever. We dined on panas(a species of sm all yam) and tea.Eyerdam and I slept under a shelter about12 feet x 10 with six natives o f various sizes. Dr. Lambert and White shared a comparatively large ho use(15 feet x 30 feet)with about 30 native companions. No collecting done. Rain in showers throughout night. May 21 We were under obligation to visit the chiefs and their cohorts be- fore doing anything.All important citizens are partisans to some degree in a religious ritual which has been going on for some time centering around fo od interest,- fertility of the soil,harvest,and so forth.We came away loaded with presents of coconuts and vegetables.These reciproc- ated our gifts of axes to important men(three)and an adze to each of the two chiefs. Eyerdam and I got out collecting about 10 A.M.after putting up our flies to give all members of the party a place to work and sleep.Privacy does not exist in the social scheme of Rennell.Eyerdam got a specimen of the crane(so-called by me when I missed it during my first visit);it is a spoonbill and proved to be a female(doubtful).The natives tell me inter- esting and astonishing things about this species.There is supposed to exist only a few(three has been cited)and these apparently do not breed here;nor do they leave the vicinity of the lake to go in the forest to breed like the cormorants;nor do they migrate.When asked how long the birds had been around the lake in their memory the only answer I could get was"long time",an idea of limited meaning to these people.They know the nesting habits of the other bird residents,but this spoonbill has them puzzled to the extent that several told me it was connected in some mysterious way with the"Big Master",the god of their universe.Certain other birds are taboo and are involved with mythology;but this one is the most interesting. The plumage of Halcyon sancta appears different here on Rennell.I am always expecting to find this species breeding somewhere in the islands but without success. Returned to put up birds in the afternoon. Weather unsettled during day but fine at night. May 22