Saturday January 12: Left Lae by Qantas at 7:40, flew the Wau route and arrived Port Moresby 8:45. Dorothy Shaw and Father Cruttwell at the airport to meet me. Cruttwell a big, youngish man very interest- ed in botany. Showed me a selection of his water colors of mostly orchids. Vivid colors of a lifelike quality. Has collected about 900 numbers for Kew. Now has to collect duplicates for Lae, and doesn't like it very much. Left Moresby 8:45 and arrived Cairns 12:30. Good weather but for low cloud on the Queensland coast and rain in Cairns. The cyclone, which passed out to sea somewhere down the coast, is influencing the weather at Cairns. Am staying at the Hotel Central recommended by Ailsa Hall. Not as good as Hides Hotel used to be. To Maringa Sugar Experiment Station in evening as guest of Gilbert and Rose Bates. Birthday dinner for Gil and Dr. Don Sword of Cairns, who was there with his wife, son Bob and a student friend of Bob. Bob is a medical student. Bates informs me that the giant toad, Bufo marinus, which has in- fested coastal north Queensland for years, in now definitely on the decline in size and numbers. Sunday January 13: Another very wet day. Floods are widespread in NE Queensland. George Brooks, who was out insect collecting yesterday, picked me up at the hotel about 10 A.M. and took me to his hospitable home at Edge Hill. (Jessie and their two small sons were there). Spent the morning looking at George's fine collection of beetles. Mostly local species, but a fair number got by exchange from other parts of Australia and countries abroad. The exotics are in separate cases. Critical materials have been worked out by specialists. The emphasis in George's collecting has been on groups in which specialists could give him identification. Has collected several new species, which have been named by other workers. Returned to the hotel by 4 P.M. Monday January 14: Some showers but weather much improved. Went first to TAA to arrange an air booking for Brisbane on Wednesday. TAA handle Qantas affairs in Cairns. But it does not be- long to the international air organization and my return ticket by Qantas to Brisbane was only good as a credit against the TAA fare of 20 pounds. Had to pay an additional 12/12/. A very curious state of affairs for a big company, owned by the Australian Government, as is Qantas. Called on Ernie Stephens, Horticulturist, Dept. of Agriculture and Stock. Cordial, but did not seem overjoyed at seeing me. Later got in touch with Tom (T. F.) Webb, manager, Lawrence and Hansen Electrical Co., with George Mills and Frank Moody, we had some beers before lunch. Went out to Mill's place in afternoon. To the Webbs' (Tom and Amy) for a very good dinner. Home-grown Arabian coffee used. Home-grown pepper on the table.