8th Month AUGUST 1959 31 Days DULL, SOME SUN A.M. RAIN IN P.M. 10 MONDAY 222-443 MT. OTTO - SAWMILL ANOTHER PARAHYDROMYS + USUAL RATTUS + MELOMYS. TOBRAM ALMOST TRAP PED A GIANT RAT - SPECIES? THE RAT LEFT A FRONT FOOT IN A STEEL ON A LOG ACROSS THE CREEK. LARGER THAN ANISOMYS - IT MAY BE MALLOMYS OR HYOMYS. IT HAS 2 PECULIAR GROOVED NAILS. BOUGHT 3 PETAURUS THIS AFTERNOON. FINALLY SHOT THE LARGE MINIOPTERUS THAT FLIES PAST OUR PORCH LIGHT AT NIGHT. BRINGS OUR TOTAL TO 20 SPECIES FOR FIRST WEEK. JOHN, TOBRAM, EDEWAWA, + SAUNI CLIMBED MT. OTTO, COLLECTING ON WAY UP, TOP AT 3:P.M. RAINING. HOME AT 6:P.M. SOME GRASS ON TOP. WROTE JOE MOORE TODAY. GOOD-MOTH NIGHT. EVERYONE CHASING THEM WITH BOTTLES. OUR FIRST BEAUTIFUL SUNNY DAY. 11 TUESDAY 223-142 MT. OTTO - SAWMILL TOOK PICTURES OF HILLS FROM ROOF; SAWMILL; MARBLE PLAYING; SUNSET. ONLY MELOMYS + RATTUS IN TRAPS. BOUGHT A LOVELY GOLDEN-GREEN RING-TAIL POSSUM; ALSO OUR FIRST SYCONYCTERIS. SENT TOBRAM + LIK LIK HUNTING FOR BATS + POGONOMYS - FOUND NOTHING. FRED LEAHY SHOT A PIP TONIGHT. KIM JACKING - NOTHING. JOHN + I DROVE S.E. PAST SITE OF OLD MILL + THEN WALKED LOGGING ROADS FOR 2 HOURS. SAW NOTHING. LOVELY NIGHT-MOON FIRST QUARTER. CHILL WIND BLOWING UP ON SPUR. MUST HAVE CLIMBED TO WELL OVER 8000 FT. 4 NATIVES FROM MILL FOLLOWED TRUCK + WALKED WITH US. WROTE HUNTOONS, KATHERINE. SENT LETTERS TO GOROKA WITH LOGGING TRUCK. ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY. 12 WEDNESDAY 224-144 MT. OTTO - SAWMILL JOHN DECIDED TO CLIMB MT. OTTO AGAIN TODAY, ESPECIALLY TO COLLECT FOR HEN AT + NEAR THE SUMMIT. EDEWAWA + SAUNI WITH HIM. TOBRAM WILL LOOK AROUND INTERMEDIATE LEVELS FOR TREE-CLIMBERS. LEFT AT 8:A.M. SUMMIT CLEAR OF CLOUD. PAT LEAHY, FRED'S YOUNGER BROTHER (MY TENNIS PARTNER), DROVE UP TO MILL FOR FIREWOOD. HE WORKS AT TIM LEAHY'S FARM OUTSIDE OF GOROKA. TOBRAM RETURNED WITHOUT HAVING SEEN ANYTHING. JOHN RE- TURNED LATE IN DAY, HAVING COLLECTED AROUND THE SUMMIT FOR THREE HOURS. CAME BACK WITH A GOOD BAG. MY BIG EXCITEMENT OF THE DAY CAME WHEN THE YOUNG CHIMBU WHO TAKES CARE OF THE PIGS CAME UP WITH A SMALL BAT WHICH HE FOUND IN A CREVICE BETWEEN THE WOODEN CEILING + TIN ROOF OF THE BOY HOUSE. IT HAS THE TRI COLOR FUR OF PHONISCUS BUT NOT THE GOLDEN HAIRS. NOSTRILS OPEN LATERALLY FROM LITTLE TUBES ON NOSE; WING MEMBRANES PALE BROWN. THIS COULD BE MURINA - NOT KNOWN FROM NEW GUINEA. TOOK OUT SKULL AND PRESERVED SKIN + BODY IN FORMALIN. JOHN BROUGHT ME A HYOMYS SKELETON.