WED. 15 APR. 1953 MENAPI TO DABORA: BILL MASON CAME OVER EARLY TO TELL US THAT "RURU" WOULD LEAVE AT 7:1 A.M. FOR GOODENOUGH IS. I WOULD DROP GEOFF, KEN, MYSELF AND OUR 5 BOYS AT DABORA FOR A FEW HOURS AT TAPITAPIPI CAVES. ENGINE MISSING BUT WE GOT TO DABORA O.K. LEFT OUR LUNCH AT REST HOUSE + CLIMBED SCARP TO CAVES. NO TROUBLE FIND- ING THEM THIS TIME. HILL GAVE GEOFF A BAD TIME. HOPE HE CAN TAKE MANEAD. HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE PERSPIRE LIKE GEOFF. TOLD BOYS I WANTED ONLY TINY BATS THIS TIME — AND HOW THEY WENT AFTER THEM! WE ENDED UP WITH 174 BATS OF 5 SPECIES (126 ALONE OF THE SMALL MINIPTERUS, OF WHICH WE COLL. ONLY 1 ON FIRST TRIP). GEOFF'S BOYS COLL. SPIDERS + INSECTS. TRAIL VERY SLOPPY AFTER 3 DAYS OF RAIN. ALSO VISITED MAIN ENTRANCE. LARGE DOBSONIA WERE HUNG UP OUTSIDE CAVE UNDER BIG STALACTITES, ALL FLEW OFF INTO WOODS IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. VERY AGILE ON WING. HAD SWIM IN OCEAN + THEN LIGHT LUNCH (TEA, BREAD, BANANA). STARTED OFF FOR MENAPI ALONG BEACH TRAIL ALONE SINCE I WANTED TO WATCH BIRDS. SAW FIGHT BETWEEN SMALL LIZARD + SPIDER. COLL. SMALL SNAKE IN LOW GRASS AT BANAPA (NEW FOR COLL.). SAW PATRICK — ASKED HIM TO TRY FOR WALLABIES. HOME AT 4:1 P.M. (8 MILES) HOT BATH + SHAVE. "RURU" SAILED HOME. SPENT NIGHT PICKLING BATS IN FORMALIN. BRINGS TOTAL TO 385. GEOFF DID NOT FIND BOTTLE-NOSED SNAKE IN CAVE! (PER CRUTT WELL'S LETTER)