small pink flowers and a white Habenaria. The real savannas, where Themeda is said to predominate, should be interesting botanically. Only jacking last night was by Lionel, who got nothing. A Bandicoot, big brown Rattus, and four small brown Rattus in traps. A native brought in a coconut shell full of live Pipistrellus, which were let go. No effort at bat shooting tonight. Lionel and his boy Tinker out jacking. Listened in the evening to a radio broadcast of the presentation of the Queen's and regimental colors to the Pacific Islands Regiment (PIR) by Governor-General Field Mar- shall Sir William Slim in Port Moresby. Announcer careful to append all decorations when mentioning names (K.C.M.G., C.G., D.S.O., M.C., etc etc). Drill apparently very good; no raggedness in movements. An English regimental sergeant major amusing with his commands, "Stand at hease." The old REM said to have done a splendid job in knocking the regiment into shape. The regiment first saw action in Milne Bay in 1942, but the Japs were too good for them, and they ran. Thursday July 5: Some sum this morning, also showers. Heavy showers in afternoon. Dirty SE weather. There has been thunder with the rain at night, a feature very common in our experience on Fergusson. Walked across the peninsula to Numanuma Bay, reached in about an hour, most of the way over secondary grasslands of what might be called tall, rough grasses. Evidently a big population on Numanuma Bay. Small, deep bay screened by islands. Beach steep and enough surf breaking on it to be heard plainly at Deidei at night. Some fair-sized canoes on the beach, covered with palm leaves. Only a few women fewer men, and a crowd of small children at the big village at the end of the road. Country passed over all gritty volcanic, frag- ments of obsidian often exposed on surface of the grey soil, which is black on top when wet. Grasslands carry Albizziaprocera and a few spp. of shrubs such as Melastoma and a slender Tephrosia. A Sorghum or Sorghastrum the only grass in fertile condition. Hibiscus tilia- ceus common as a tall shrub or small tree on the grasslands, especially adjacent to forest regrowths. Big, well fenced yam gardens on the low divide of the peninsula, cut out of sparse rain forest regrowths. (Diseased leaves of the yam (only 1 sp. grown) collected to send to Dr. Shaw in Port Moresby). Patches of Melaleuca savanne forest seen on distant higher ridges. Nothing in traps last night (they were moved in an effort to catch Hydromys). Lionel shot a Pteropus last night; Tinker a female Phalanger with young one. Samairai Radio message over the/general broadcast from Buntings advising that no definite date is available for the sailing of the "Kari" for Misima, but it is expected to be about the 13th and Buntings are sending the "Kedeluma" to pick us up either tomorrow afternoon or Saturday morning. Someone has been using his head at buntings. Friday July 6: Strong SE wind from sometime after midnight to after dawn; very little rain. Changed to very wet and E to NE wind, with occasional very heavy squalls, towards noon. Planned to visit the hot springs again area again, in the hope of finding proper grasslands, but weather prevented this. (Had to work on collections on hand before any- things else.) "kedeluma" arrived from Sewataitai about 2 o'clock and by three all but things need- ed for tonight were on board. Had fine weather for this. Fred Riley who came to Kedidia to recruit boys for trochus shelling, says he had rough seas between Trobriands and Fergusson. Fred gave and I will hand to Anthropology at the Museum, the curious potsherds from a small atoll about 40 miles approximately NW of the Lusancay Islands. Several fast erod- ing small coral atolls there, all uninhabited and with very little vegetation. Other bits