Wednesday 27 May L953 Top Camp An exciting day for specimens. First Len went botanizing east above the Kwariu River. Jimmy was with him & found a hole high (30'-40' ? ) up in tree with a giant rat in it (Uromys). He dragged it out by the tail. David set a new trap line over in a patch of isolated scrub on the track & en his way home shot (H 10 # 9) our 3rd scrub Wallaby--a yg. o weighing a little over 3 pounds. I went out for a walk soon after 4 P.M. & heard chopping several hundred feet down the river slope. Saw Lik Lik coming with axe from camp. Billy had found a cuscus in leaning hollow tree. They opened up another hole above entrance hole & Lik Lik pulled a big male long-haired cuscus out by the tail. Same species I shot the 2nd night in camp. Worked on specimens most of day. Trapped our 4th Melomys. Also 6 Rattus. Made the ring-tail up as a study skin. Took picture of him in Isilele's hands--closeup. As I climbed the hill back of camp this P.M. Goropu was a blue outline--no detail. Dense blanket of cloud pouring over the divide between Maneau Range & Goropu from the south coast. Collingwood Bay & the Cape Vogel Peninsula also under blanket. The sun had set by the time we reached our camp saddle & Goropu was outlined by orange sky. The nearly full moon was rising over Maneau & the night chill was settling down as the boy and I (carrying cuscus) filed into camp. Took a spell tonight from jacking. Worked on my field notebook & was right in the middle of this page when the kerosene in my lamp gave out. Thursday 28 May Top Camp Elev. revised to 2230 M. from 2300 M. This was our high day for shot & trapped specimens: 11 Rattus (gray belly); 2 Rattus (white b.); 1 Pogonomys (with the last 14 mm. of his tail dorsally prehensile !); 3 Melomys; 1 Uromys; 1 Wallaby; 1 Phalanger. Total 20. David's line in the scrub on the track is full of rodents. Still don't know where Lik Lik trapped his Pogonomys (still alive when he brought it in--tail ). I must go with him tomorrow so I can get an idea of habitat. I collected parasites from the Wallaby, Uromys & Phalanger. Boys skinned fast and well. Last one ready for filling at 1 P.M. Made up skins all afternoon. Pinned them out after dinner tonight. All complete except filling Uromys. Worked on notebook. A long day. (Another cable for Len came by police runner from Baniara (3 days to camp--very fast time). Marie much better. Looks as if Len will be able to complete expedition with us. He was to have left tomorrow.) Runner returns tomorrow with cable reply & mail. Unexpected chance as usual. Wrote Kay short note (plus diary pp. 115-118). Kim (our 1st cook) sick today. Losima took over and we had the best baked bread yet! Cheese and strawberry jam with it. We have an Australian ham with us and we have a slice every day or two. Excellent. Jimmy picked up a new kind of frog while chopping wood in camp. Full moon tonight. Clouds of early evening have cleared. Friday 29 May Top Camp Another day of hard work. 1 Wallaby, another Pogonomys (Lik Lik has taken all 3 !), a white bellied Rattus, 1 large Melomys, 8 gray-bellied Rattus. I took the prize today with a new mammal for the camp--Antechinus, a small dark marsupial mouse with a black mid dorsal line. Caught in a Museum Special at edge of mossy forest and grassland. This trap line has been in same position for 10 days--still taking an occasional Rattus. This line a good example of the rule to trap out the common species in a given locality and then let your line pick up the rarer mammals. (It doesn't always work !) 103 specimens for this camp and 3 weeks to go. Went out jacking tonight. Saw one pair of eyes in thick vine tangle off trail. Missed. Then almost at edge of camp spotted eyes in