L.10, P. 9. Mar. 4, Wednesday. This morning getting up at dawn found Vernon's place simply alive with mosquitos. The traps yielded fairly well this morning: 3 adult and 2 young Rattus brachyrrhinus, and 2 Melomys muscalis. Last night Rand shot three Dobsonia. I quote part of his notes : "heard noise in coconuts which thought was flapping of wings... about 9 oclock ... moonlight decided to investigate... found flying foxes, 20 or 30 or more. Several were flying about, every now andthen attempting to light on a coconut frond, when the beating of their wings fanning the air and striking the fronds sounded very loud; occasionally one would give a low squeal. A light... showed three pairs of eyes gleaming red. A shot and flying foxes appeared from all the palms about, but not a movement from my tree. Flying foxes fluttering about the grove like huge moths. Finally three bats, 1 male, 2 female, fell from the tree I shot into. ... The bats were not feeding; perhaps resting, but sexes not segregated." Last evening I was invited out to play "auction" with Mr and Mrs. Leyden and Dr. Vernon. Had rather poorer hands than average but no doubt they will even up some other time. Thursday, Mar. 5. No rain last night and (not consequently) quite poor trap results: 1 Melomys muscalis and 1 Rattus brachyrrhinus. This morning took my second collecting-and-skinning boy. His name is Gororo. Decided to start both on skinning house rats several of which were brought in by a native policeman this morning. Only practice skinning of course. Aia at least who watched me yesterday is making out pretty well. He is taking the other one through the business step by step. This afternoon I shall send them out together to rebait, Aia again to act as instructor and show the new fellow where the traps are, how to bait them, and how to set them without catching his fingers. Yesterday Brass and Rand borrowed Beech's canoe and went around the mangove point to the east. I had a lot to do and did not go. Besides I had already walked there and did not expect to see anything especially new from the water. This afternoon I went out to try to find the big swamp to the southwest of here but I got tangled up with a multitude of native gardens and criss-cross tracks so that I did not reach it. Took a number of insects new to the collection however. Crossed the road and went in to Vernon's place where we brewed some tea and then started back. The boy there said that he had heard a "boat engine", and we were just wondering what boat had come in, when Vernon's house boy came running up to say that the aeroplane had arrived. Doc. Vernon went in to take a shower and change his clothes before coming down to our place to see Archbold and the ship. And I passing Beech's house heard voices and jumped to the conclusion that Archbold was there. I found however that instead of the 'plane coming a small boat the "Aramea", captained by Capt. Dick Reynolds had come in. See So the joke was on Doc. and me. We are invited out to dine with Mr. and Mrs. Woodward this evening.He is the Regident Magistrate and arbitrator of the destinies the whole of Daru. Rand went out for curlews along the shore this afternoon. In due couse a couple of shots were heard. The boys working at the aerop one slipway all remarked "Pida boi-boi", which Brass translated as "the gun talks out loud". The boys sing most of the time they are at work, a doleful and lugubrious chant but one is told that so long as they sing they are entirely contented. Dr. Vernon told me little of his history. He was born in Sussex, England, but lived most of his life in Sydney, Australia. He Was general practitioner for many years in Western Queensland. Thn the War broke out and he went to Egypt with the medical corps of Australia and later to Palestine where he served with Allenby's troops against the Turks. When the storm blew over he Went into a plantaion undertaking with a partner in Northern Queensland. The depression pretty well ruined that business and he went back to medicine, building up a considerable practice on Thursday Island. Two years ago, I judge that he retired and came to Daru where he took up experimental planting which he is doing now.