Do Not Send To Museum. Monday - Feb. 16, 1948. In Auckland Harbor at Noon. On Board S/S MARINE PHOENIX ARRIVED 10:35 A.M. - SAILED 5:15 P.M. FOR SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA. ON DECK AT 6:15 A.M. - THE ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND ON THE HORIZON. WHAT A WONDERFUL LAND THE MAORIS DISCOVERED FOR SETTLEMENT! THE SUN WAS JUST OVER THE HORIZON CATCHING SOME OF THE HILLS IN ITS FIRST LIGHT. THE FORESTS HAVE SHRUNK IN THE LAST 100 YEARS TO REMNANTS OF THEIR FORMER EXTENT. SOME OF THE NATIVE BIRDS HAVE GONE WITH THE FOREST. THE HILLS SEEMED BARE (WITH ONLY SCATTERED TREES IN THE ROUGHER SPOTS). GRAZING IS THE CURSE OF THE COUNTRY AS FAR AS NATURAL HISTORY IS CONCERNED. WE PASSED ONE LOVELY ISLAND - LITTLE IS. WHICH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BIRD SANCTUARIES TO BE EST- ABLISHED IN THE WORLD. QUITE A FEW OF THE ISLANDS SEEMED TO HAVE GOOD BIRD-ROCK CLIFFS. FROM 6:15 UNTIL ABOUT 8:A.M. WE SAW : AUSTRALIAN GANNET - (35) P. CARNEIPES } PETREL - MED. SIZE - DARK ABOVE + WHITE BELOW - A P. GRISIUS } YELLOWISH OR PINK BILL (some) 80 P. GAVIA ? } PETREL - {MED. SIZE - WHITE UNDERPTS 150 P. BULLEAI } PETREL - MED. SIZE - ENTIRELY WH. UNDERPARTS - FLAPS REGULARLY 55 BLACK-BACKED GULL - (14) FOLLOWING SHIP 75-100 MIXED FLOCK - OFF TWIN-PEAKED IS. NEAR COAST - STARBOARD Today was another day of "FRUSTRATION" - So much to see + do + so VERY LITTLE TIME. WE ARRIVED IN HARBOUR AT 10:35. DOCKED 11:15. THE HARBOUR IS A PARTICULARLY FINE ONE - DEEP, GREEN WATER; RED ROOFS ON MANY OF THE HOUSES THAT SURMOUNT THE LITTLE HILLS THAT RING THE HARBOUR. A FEW ERODED WATER-MEETING CLIFFS SHOWED VARIOUS SEDIMENTARY STRATA, SMALL FERRIES CONNECT VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TOWN. A GOOD DOCK AREA - MANY TRAMPS IN LOADING FROZEN LAMBS, MUTTON + BEEF; ALSO A FEW PASSENGER SHIPS, BUT NONE SEEMED ACTIVE. ONE TRAMP - THE "CAPE YORK" - OUT OF GLASGOW. ASHORE ABOUT NOON + SHORT WAIT FOR MR. WILMOT'S BAGS, DECIDED NOT TO WAIT + WE TOOK TAXI FOR NORTHERN CLUB - A QUIET CLUB FOR GENTLEMEN - CHARLES, A CORRES. MEMBER. TO GRAND HOTEL, NEXT DOOR FOR LUNCH. DOORS NOT OPEN SO THEY HAD BEER + I HAD A DRINK OF GINGER BEER - AT LONG LAST! SCOTCH BROTH, MIXED GRILL (DOOR SAUSAGE), YORKSHIRE CAKE + ENG. ICE-CREAM - NOT A VERY GOOD MEAL, BUT STILL ONE OF BEST AVAILABLE IN N.Z. ACC. TO WILMOT, THEN TO P.O. TO MAIL ALL OUR AIRMAILS. I WENT TO WHITCOMB & TOOMBS - BOOKSELLERS - TO BUY A N.Z.