17/6 BIRD BOOK. ONE BY A MR. TURBOTT AVAILABLE - A RATHER RAMBLING, IN- COMPLETE, POORLY PLANNED BOOK; HOWEVER, GIVES SOME IDEAS TO A STRANGER. TOOK TAXI TO MUSEUM ON HILL ABOVE AUCKLAND. AN IMPOSING GRECIAN TYPE BUILDING SET IN A LARGE PARK - OVERLOOKS HARBOUR - A BEAUTIFUL SITE. MR. ARCHY WAS NOT THERE, BUT MR. TURBOTT, THE ENT- OMOLOGIST + ORNITHOLOGIST, CAME IN + TOOK ME FOR A QUICK TOUR OF THE MUSEUM. THE FINEST COLLECTION OF MAIORI CULTURAL EFFECTS IN EXISTENCE IS HOUSED HERE. AMPLE ROOM + SPACIOUS HALLS. NO TIME TO SEE ANYTHING BUT A FEW OF THE BIRD EXHIBITS. SOME OF EXTINCT BIRDS. MOA RECONSTRUCTION. STORUTHIFORM SKELETONS. (NOW FINDING COMPLETE MOA SKELETONS IN CERTAIN PLACES). KIWI IS HOLDING OWN IN N.Z. - MANY KILLED BY CARS ON ROADS. TIR IS DOING WELL - ONLY AN OCCASIONAL ONE ATTACKS SHEEP. N.Z. QUAIL IS GONE. STITCH BIRD STILL ON LITTLE BARRIER. TURBOTT'S OFFICE LITTERED WITH SPECIMENS - FELT JUST LIKE HOME. TOLD ME DR. MURPHY EXPECTED BACK IN AUCKLAND NEXT WEEK FROM SOUTH ISLAND. THEY WILL GO TO LITTLE BARRIER FOR A WEEK, THEN TO MAURI FORESTS IN NORTH ISLAND. NO HABITAT GROUPS. TAXIDERMY ONLY FAIR. T. INSCRIBED COPY OF HIS BOOK. DID NOT HAVE CHANCE TO GO TO TOP OF MT. EDEN - HIGHEST HILL IN TOWN TO GET BEST HARBOUR VIEW. CRICKET MATCH ON IN PARK. THUMBED A RIDE TO TOWN - DRIVER WAS THE PARK SUPERINTENDENT. SAID AN AMERICAN CAMP TOOK UP WHOLE FRONT OF GROUNDS NEAR MUSEUM. TRAM TO WATERFRONT. BOUGHT STAMP PACKET FOR DORY. SHIP SAILING QUITE AN EVENT. MANY N.Z. PASSENGERS FOR AUSTRALIA. MUCH COLORED TAPE THROWN. SEAPLANE BASE NEAR POCKS (B.O.A.) - 4 MOTOR JOBS. SAILED OUT OF HARBOUR WITH BLACK-BACKS FOLLOWING. A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET OVER NORTH ISLAND. MANGITOTO ISLAND IS ROOSTING GROUND FOR 100'S OF GULLS. IS TO BE A SANCTUARY - FEW' RESIDENTS GIVEN 7 YEARS TO MOVE OUT. REPEATED PART OF OUR FORMER COURSE BOUND FOR THE NORTH CAPE. THE SOUND OF GULL CRIES (BLACK-BACK RATHER LIKE HEARING) IS MUSIC IN MY EARS. THE WHOLE VAST WATER APPROACH TO AUCKLAND WAS ALIVE WITH PETRELS, SHEARWATERS + GANNETS. MR. SPEIGHT AND I WATCHED UNTIL DINNER. NOT SURE THAT WE SAW ANY DIVING PETRELS. 1 WILSON'S, 15 P. GAVIA, 200-300 P. BULLERI, 50 P. CARNIPIES, 125 P. GRISEUS - NO ALBATROSSES, 25 GANNET. BEAUTIFUL CRESCENT MOON. TO BED EARLY. INTERVIEWED BY REPORTERS + PHOTOGRAPHED ON SHIP IN A.M. ENG. SPARROWS ALL OVER PART. PIGEONS IN TOWN. N.Z. CURRENCY VERY ZOOLOGICAL. WILL SAVE SOME FOR DORY: BOUGHT PACKET OF N.Z. STAMPS (100 FOR 7/6)