Wednesday 24 June 1953 Middle Camp No real surprises today. David had a nice ♀ "native cat" in his meat set--our 2nd for Maneau. Only 2 Rattus. Gave me a chance to get caught up in my work. Ken left in early A.M. He took Losima down with him. Niko stays here to help in the kitchen. Skinned out the feet of Zaglossus and scored his spine muscles, alumed the body and put it away to cure for a day or so. Jimmy came in with a Cuscus this A.M. Boys were hunting all P.M. but found nothing. I put my bat net across the up trail. Not optimistic. Shot my first bat for this camp-- Miniopterus. Jacking after dinner--shot a little scrub Wallaby. David out and brought in a Cuscus. A good start for tomorrow. Moon out bright tonight. Went out for 1/2 hr. to look for giant rats--could hear them but they are very hard to see. In clouds most of day. Kim made a wonderful meat pie tonight with very light crust. Thursday 25 June The day started slowly but wound up in a blaze of excitement. A quiet sunny morning measuring and skinning. Len back at 1 P.M. After lunch while I was making up skins Liklik came in with a live Antechinus which he had caught by hand! New for this camp. Also a Rattus from his trap line. David went up the trail jacking before dark and on his return shot a brown-headed Ring-tail and a large brown ring-tail--our 2nd specimen. He also brought in another prize--a new (our 3rd species for Maneau) Pogonomy. Very long tail with white tip and dorsally prehensile. I shot another small bat at dusk over the camp clearing.Liklik & Isilele went out jacking & they banged away a couple of times without success. David & I went down the east slope where we had heard giant rats in trees. David shot a Hyomys out of a tree--no eye shine--our 2nd specimen. This made 7 specimens, 7 species for the afternoon & evening. Now have 13 species for this camp in less than a week & over 2 weeks to go! 10:30 P.M. I'm off to bed--I can see a busy day tomorrow. Geoff and his boys cut trail toward a big mountain brook on the north east slope. Expects to reach it tomorrow. Friday 26 June A Melomys in trap made 9 specimens--8 species in 1 day! Collected parasites from Hyomys & Melomys. Saved skeleton of Pogonomy. Geoff and his 2 boys continued on their cut trail today until they reached the brook--a fair sized mt. torrent enclosed in rain forest. Left at 9--back at 2 P.M. just as clouds closed in & rain started. Didn't last long. Full moon tonight. David shot 3 brown-headed Ring-tails tonight--one with fair-sized pouch young. I shot at 2 bats & missed both. Put my bat net up again in a tunnel-like part of trail. Niko finally captured one of the 6 o'clock cicadas--a beauty about 3 inches long. Made a a meat set with 3 steels near camp. Soup, stew & rice pudding for dinner. Boys heard a dog not too far from camp--we think they may be up from Biniguni hunting for us. They may show up in camp any day. Saturday 27 June Today is summed up in 1 word RAIN. We have been very fortunate not to have had more so we are not complaining. Caught a specimen of a new genus for expedition in a small trap just outside of the work fly. A fawn & white mouse, long tail & long slender feet, big ears (Lorentzimys). An exciting catch. Liklik captured a "native cat" in a meat set. Today ended 14th collecting week: 128 marsupials; 344 bats; 368 rodents; 1 monotreme--Total 841. For week--64. Runner arrived with mail at lunchtime! (K. #s 11, 12, 13(clippings), 14(last 6th June); Mother May 1 & 27; Dr. Mayr, J.2; Dottie, May 20; Rus P., J.1) a bonanza !