COLLECTING GROUND. THE OLD POLICEMAN + HIS DOG WERE OUT MOST OF THE DAY. BROUGHT BACK 2 DOBSONIA WHICH HE FOUND IN HOLES IN ROCK - NOT CAVES ACCORDING TO HIS STORY. KEN + I JACKED DIFFERENT TRAILS TONIGHT. BOTH OF US SAW NYCTI- TIME NE + I HEARD FLYING FOX, BUT NOT A TRACE OF CUSCUS OR GROUND MAMMALS. HIM BAKED A FINE APRICOT PIE TONIGHT. 75 M.S. TRAPS OUT TONIGHT. CAUGHT A LONG-LEGGED TREE FROG + NIKO + LOSIMA 3 TINY FROGS NEAR WATER. WALKED BACK TO GRASS SPUR IN P.M. BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF SEA. 282. (253) FRIDAY, OCT. 9, 1953 83 TOP CAMP. FIRST MAMMAL ON THE MOUNTAIN WAS A SMALL RATTUS. M.F. 2-2-8, LONG, FAIRLY SOFT PELAGE. COLLECTED TICKS ON BATS. RAINED HARD FOR 1/2 THE NIGHT. IN CLOUDS IN A.M. CLEARED IN P.M.; STARS OUT + SOME WIND TONIGHT. KEN + I WALKED BACK TO GRASS SPUR AT 5 P.M., WATCHED SUN SET + JACKED BACK TO CAMP. SAW NOTHING BUT NYCTIMENE. PEAKS STARK AGAINST THE SKY, SEA COVERED WITH HAZE, CUMULUS HEADS WHITE + SOLID. S.W. WIND WHIPPED CLOUD WISPS DOWN OVER OUR RIDGE, LOOKED FOR BIRDS IN UNDERGROWTH TODAY BUT FOUND NONE. EVEN BIRDS IN TREE TOPS SCARCE. MANY LARGER BIRDS FLY OVER (PIGEONS + PARROTS). MADE UP 2 DOBSONIA - EACH HAD 1 EMBRYO. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT D. THAN I FOUND ON MAINLAND. LEN HAD HIS BOYS COLLECT A SHRUB TODAY WITH BUNCHES OF BEAUTIFUL ROSE, TUBULAR FLOWERS. TO BED EARLY (9 P.M.) 283. (254) SAT. OCT. 10 82 TOP CAMP. NOTHING IN TRAPS. COLLECTED 3 SPECIMENS OF BIRDS 3 SPECIES - ALL 9.S. BLACK FLYCATCHER, RNFIOUS-CAPPED FLYCATCH- ER, + A THRUSH-LIKE BIRD. SEXING EASY WHEN FRESH. 2 WERE WELL SHOT BUT ONE HIT AT CLOSE RANGE - DIFFICULT TO MAKE UP. SUN OUT STRONG IN A.M. - IN + OUT THIS P.M., LEN + TEN WALKED UP TO THE RIDGE SOUTH OF CAMP - ABOUT 100 M HIGHER. LEN FOUND A SPECIES OF BEECH TREE - NOT KNOWN FOR THE ISLAND. TOOK SIGHS ON ISLAND PEAKS SO THAT WE WILL KNOW APPROXIMATELY WHERE WE ARE ON THE MAP. ISILELE + I WENT JACKING FOR AN HOUR OVER A NEW BUSH TRACK THEY CUT IN A.M. PERFECT NIGHT - NO WIND, NO RAIN DRIP, BUT ALSO A PERFECT BLANK AS FAR AS MAMMALS WERE CONCERNED. NOT A RUSTLE ON THE GROUND OR A MOVEMENT IN THE TREES. KEN HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. WENT DOWN IN THE 50'S TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME. SLEPT WARM IN MY BAG + WINTER PAJAMAS.