Thursday 2 July 1953 Middle Camp Found the 2nd bat. Traps gave 4 Rattus--l with heavy ochre wash ventrally. Took pictures of the Cuscus in tree. Rain & sun alternated all day and kept me busy taking out & bringing in skins. There is a little green mold on some of the flat skins. Will have to dry over lamp tomorrow. Police runner arrived at noon with an unexpected mail: 2 from Kay, 2 from Mother & 1 from Don Carter (sent June 17). No jacking tonight; wrote Dory, Dorothy & Bill, & Don. Cloudless sky tonight. My eye was off & no bats were shot. Have been drying skulls over the lamp while I sit here on my bed writing letters on my lap. Ken left this A.M. for Bottom Camp taking Niko & Jimmy with him to help clear a camp site for our next move down the mountain. Len's boys brought in some very large oak acorns (1½ " dia.) ! This is oak forest here--no beech trees. Fresh bread today. Caught another large 3" Cicada today. We have 5 now. Friday 3 July A quiet rainy day & night in camp. Only Rattus & Melomys in traps. Had a luke warm bath in a cool drizzle of rain. Runner left this A.M. for Biniguni. Jimmy returned from Bottom Camp where he had helped Ken clear camp site. No jacking. Read in bed for a change ! Caught another Giant Cicada in tent. Kim made a tasty stew with good dumplings tonight. Re-set my trap line up the trail. David out jacking for a few minutes before the rain--1 brown-headed Possum. Saturday 4 July The day began with an hour of sun, then 12 hrs. of rain & now the stars are out. David brought in a real prize from his line--a small, very long-eared, long-tailed mouse which I can not track down in Tate's Rodents. Head & body only 80 mm. t.v. 126 h.f. 25.5 and ear 19 ! Trapped under fallen log. Also 3 Melomys, 2 Rattus & I found the Miniopterus I shot last night. In mid-afternoon we got work that Tommy (one of Len's boys) had seriously cut his foot with a bush knife. Geoff went down the river trail with 4 boys & found him in shock--bad loss of blood. Boys carried him in on a stretcher. Len cleansed wound & I shot site of cut with novacaine & then put 4 stitches in cut thru which muscle tissue bulged, covered with sulfa powder & bandaged. May have cut superficial tendons. Came out of shock early tonight (blankets and warm drinks). Len gave codein and phenobarbitol. Sleeping & good pulse 10 P.M. We hope no infection sets in. A social evening--no jacking. Geoff and I read until 11 P.M. Len has new tree fern, Geoff a tree frog. Sunday 5 July A day without rain altho a few damp clouds drifted across the ridge now & then. 2 good specimens: Murexia in my trap line & a Q rodent (M.F. o - 2 = 4) in David's (our 3rd of this species)--but I don't know the genus. I thought it was Lorentzimys but M.F. rules it out--may be Leptomys. Also Rattus & Melomys. Dried flat skins over Len's oven. Began to fill up Zaglossus. Our patient is running low fever & still weak but he slept well. A few days should see him picking up. Shot 2 bats at dusk--1 red phase, 1 gray phase Miniopterus. Jacking-- heard animals but David & I could not locate in tall trees. Had another snap shot at my "trail bat"--no luck. Delicious meat pie for dinner. Geoff packed spare food to be sent to Bottom Camp--carriers may arrive tomorrow. Boys to shift trap lines to river for rest of our stay here.