L. 25, P. 16 Took a short walk out behind the village late this morning. Quite a lot of ti tree swamp, the whitish bark sharp against the green of the sedges which at present are gowing actively there. Beyond and slightly west of the swamp the ground rises just sufficiently for development of a mixture of rain and savanna forest to develop; and I do not doubt that regular tree savanna will be found close by. Locals say there are plenty of Macropus agilis, a fair indication. This place would be very hot were it not for a rather pleasant sea breeze. We look directly out south at Boigu, and by going out on the west limestone point a second island Kusara is equally close in a SE direction. I went out to look at the rocks just after lunch. They appear much jointed, the joints having washed out clean in many places by the action of the sea. Must go out again and take the bearings of their strikes. Mangroves growing with their roots thrust down into the cracks in the rocks are apparently dwarfed. About a mile east there appears to rain forest close up against the sea. Put on a little propaganda anent my buying specimens which almost at once bore results in the form of a young scrub wallaby (M. bruni). That gives us three species of mammals here without any traps set. Had 150 rat traps put out this afternoon. Also made up half a dozen birds for Rand including a pair of big kingfishers that I shot myself and whose identity whether Rand's new form or the old sort, I cannot decide. Heavy rain with thunder and lightning came on at 5.30. How thankful I am that it did not catch us at any time yesterday. We just slipped through at the right time. I forgot to say at the time that coming down in the canoe, except at the hottest times of the day, sandflies (punkies) were persistent, apparently flying far and wide over the water. Just at dusk last night salt-water or mangrove mosquitos came out after us a couple of hundred yards too. I've just witness a lovely sight: one of the locals giving a small white pig a bath in the rain -- washing it all over, and the piglet simply shrieking its head off. Am entirely without tow and very short of cotton, so I am having ti-tree bark, papery stuff finely shredded up and using that to make bodies. It works well too on big things. Sat. Dan. 2. The usual two south New Guinea savanna species were trapped last night, namely Rattus brachyrhinus and Melomys muscalis. Of the nine specimens of the former four were juvenals. One of the two males of the latter species was a young adult. This place teems with mosquitos. Turned in very early, just after finding that there were flying bats to shoot at. Could hear the drums of the village just opposite on the island of Boigu sounding faintly across the water. Today threatens rain. Having been living well on ducks which we shoot in the swamp just behind the village. Shot half a dozen birds for Rand's collection. Suppose I'd better keep some bird notes here: The ducks gather in water about a foot and a half deep, about ten strong. They are very wary and rather hard to stalk. They do not appear to be breeding. The red headed blue parrot flew into a coconut tree, and sitting talking to itself whenI shot it. The pair of kingfishers with much worn plumage were on dead trees by a garden. Neither in breeding condition. Plumage greatly worn. The Black and white butcherbird was flying about among ti tree woods. The several little warbler-like birds with gray backs and yellowish white underparts live in the tops of the ti trees and make a weak twittering noise. The male and the two females all in breeding condition, one f. with an egg practically ready for laying. The leather head was shot whileperched on a tree in the same clearing as the kingfishers. A boy shot the white cockatoo and the hawk. The former are common everywhere, often perching on dead ti trees out in the grass swamp.