Monday 6 April L953 (cont) going over to watch dancing. Len and I leave for Dabora tomorrow at 1 P.M. Isilele spotted a "flying squirrel" in our bread fruit tree and David shot it. 3 black cockatoos with vivid red patches below eyes were in coconuts in A.M. Very spectacular--3" 4" head crest. Tuesday 7 April From Menapi to Dabora. Sailed about 1:15 P.M. on the "Ruru" for a short run (1 hr) down the peninsula to the small village of Dabora. We left Geoff in charge of the Menapi camp. Len and I brought our 6 boys and Losima to cook. The "Ruru" is on charter to us to bring back Ken Wynn from the head of Collingswood Bay; she is also trading on the way. We had a lot of passengers on board for various points on the coast--had all been in town for Easter. Our gear was put aboard and unshipped without accident. They load the row boat until there is only an inch or two of freeboard. One of the outriggers turned over. The Rest House has two rooms and a kitchen--we are very comfortable. Len and I walked west along the coast trail for a mile or so in P.M. There are limestone heads along the coast. Put out 11 traps and each boy has 10. Token trapping because we want to visit caves for bats tomorrow. Shot a Scotinus and Miniopterus before supper--also a third but could not find. Shot a Petaurus about 8:30 in cocnut. Made up 4 skins this A.M.--then packed for trip. A steady SE wind tonight--stars out, lovely and cool. Geoff and I stayed at dance last night for about an hour. Our boys were having their sing in competition with the village boys who were doing a real dance and were ornamented elaborately. Dancing monotonous. Visit from Oswin--village cop--and Timothy--village linguist. Asked about caves. Big rain forest about a mile inland. To bed 9:30. David found 3rd bat--Miniopterus. Good drinking water ran out--brushed teeth in cold tea. Wednesday 8 April Dabora. Spectacular coll. day! After a skinning a Rattus, Melomys, Petaurus and Miniopterus--ringed by 15 natives--we threw our caving gear together and set off to the east to visit the Tapitapipi Caves. Turned N. east of Dabora village. Trail led thru 20 grass land and banana plantations and 2nd growth rain forest. Hot inland away from breeze. Up a sharp limestone scarp (map gives 200') and finally to a dry gulley which led into a tremendous sink hole in the limestone. We used another sink entrance 100 yards away. Tight entrance but opens out immediately into tunnel like passages. Took right tunnel which led into chamber 40-50' in dia. We collected 8 species in this spot: large and small Dobsonia and Miniopterus; 3 sizes of Rhinolophus; a small Hipposideros; total of 74 specimens! Brings our total to 191 for 19 days. Stalactite and stalagmite formations scattered in various chambers but coarse. Bat droppings all over floor. David was good with switch. I shot some with dust & #9. Some village boys with us knocked down some big Dobsonia. Many spiders in cave but no bottle-nosed snake! Followed central and left tunnels until drops stopped us. Solution tunnels with water dropping To lower levels. Too dark at entrances for pictures. Big entrance with many St.Tite and St.mites-- rain forest. Len visited cave earlier in day. Back along coast--took swim in warm shallow water. Fixed and sorted over bats. Blue pigeon soup and stew for dinner. Thursday 9 April Dabora. A busy but interrupted day. Measured 3 Dobsonia and got the 3 boys started skinning. Did up 5 of the bats from caving trip. There were various natives coming to door selling Betel nuts, bananas and native asparagus. And right in the middle of the morning a native rushed in and said he had spott-ed