possession of Fred Riley an estimated ½-1 oz of good coarse gold which had been bought on Sudest at 6 shillings a pehhweight, the regular price according to Fred. Gold buyers have to be licensed and declare all their traffic in the metal. Riley was drunk and spilled about half of his gold through Buntinhs back steps. Friday August 17: Heavy rain from 4:30 am. to about six; drizzle until about eight; sharp shower about 11 followed by drizzle. No rain afternoon or early evening. SE weather. Lionel was to have started this morning on a reconnaissance of Mt. Rattlesnake (or Riu) but the councillor who was to be guide, and the carriers, did not turn up. He is ready for an early start in the morning. Botanized inland to a distance of a mile or better by a good track which climbs quickly up a kangaroo-grass spur from camp. Reached an elevation of perhaps 400-500 ft., which I have called 100 m., on the plant labels. Forest in the gullies on both sides if the spur. Secondary at first. Later primary forest relics from which I collected some good trees (Syzygium, Parinarium aff. nonde, Fagraea, Weinmannia, Buchanania. A good soft cover of Themeda, about knee high or less on the open ridges. Collected an Ophiusus? and saw Sorghastrum and Eriachne? in grasses. Accompanying herbs prattidally identical with those of Fergusson and Misima. Pimelea, Euphorbia (Chamaesyce), Phyllanthus, Borreria (not pre- viously collected), Osbornia, Hypoxis, etc. A small shrubby sandpaper fig scattered on the grassland ridges as a shrub. Shot last night were 10 specimens of mammals (Pteropus hypomelanuS, P. conspicilatus, Phalanger orientalis (very dark), Nyctimene geminus, Dobsonia), and taken from about 130 traps out were two rats which except for their white bellies looked like Rattus rubus, Only three mammals previously recorded from the island: Phalanger orientalis, Pteropus hypomelanuS, and Petaurus breviceps. We heard the Petaurus last night. Work on camp rigging and conveniences finished this am. Some insects and frogs col- lected. A spell of poor weather for field work. Saturday August 18: Heavy intermittent showers most of the day from 6:15 am. Some sun in mid-afternoon. Still moreó or less rainy tonight. SE weather. Started late in the field, to east of camp, along coast, and gathered in all 15 num- bers. Nothing of special interest,perhaps. A common Pandanus, of open places behind man- groves, with syncarpous drupes. A small Onetum. A green-flowered small tree which comes close to Psychotria but is strange to me. Nothing in traps last night. Two Dobsonia and a Nyctimene shot by the cooks. Rus, complaining of being tired after a day at the preparation table, went to bed. Lionel has a poisoned foot. Two natives went fishing this afternoon and from them we bought, for two stocks of to- bacco each, two fine greenmottled gray-fish which seem to have the local name BAGIA, and two somewhat reddish fish, bought for one stick the pair. Ate as much as we could of the crays this evening. Kim as he is apt to do with anything not handled every day, made a mess of the meal, cooking it too early and serving it cold. Four blue pigeons shot yesterday. What with excellent pigeon soup, and quite good tenderized pigeon meat, and today's sea- food, we are doing well off the country. We are getting only a few sweet potatoes from the native gardens. This seems to be a time of shortage. The ground was dry when we ar- ried here. Bom says the crops were suffering, and that the present rain was achieved by sorcery. As was anticipated, no carriers for the mountains turned up today. A start by Lionel is possible tomorrow. The people in the inland village, where the councillor lives, are Methodists and will not stir on Sunday. The Joe Landing folk are Catholic, however, and Rom says the young men will carry if the weather is fine. The guide will have to be the Councillor from the inland villa