19. Saturday Jan. 3: Arrived South Brisbane Station at 4PM, about 1½ hours behind schedule. My father there to meet me. Newspaper and radio reporters too. Forgot to mention that when our ship anchored yesterday I was similarly interviewed and the Sydney evening papers car- rried items on the expedition. So did the country papers I bought on the train.journey. Brisbane radio had carried reports the last two evenings. One paper published the photo of a lady who has made known her intention of offering her services as a guide for us on the Peninsula. When I went to my bags for cigarettes I found I had none. Some skunk must have watched me go through Customs in Sydney, then got away with the lot - 600 of them. For convenience in getting through Customs, I had unwisely put them in the unlocked and unlockable side pockets of my flight bag. Natives have filched my cigarettes, but never a white man. I did not think the breed had sunk so low. Probably a dock porter was the culprit. Most of them are low types, looking more like bar flies than real men. A note on George Tate's experiences since his arrival in Australia by air about the end of the first week of December. The ship that brought his field equipment arrived in Sydney on the 11th, anchored in the harbor, and did not discharfe any cargo until just before Christmas. George therefore abandoned plans he had for a trip into western New South Wales. Put in the time going through the mammal collections in Australian Museum, with Troughton, and photographing skulls. Had no trouble in getting N.S.W. collecting permit through Troughton and Walcomb. Sent his gear on to Brisbane Dec. 30. Very pleased with the reception he has had in Brisbane. Mack is tops according to George. On an introduction to a Customs man, from Mack, his gear cleared in a jiffy. George now preparing to leave for SW Queensland by rail on Tuesday. Monday Jan. 5: A long, busy day. Called first at Queensland Herbarium, for mail,. Letters from Geoff, and galley proof of Nyasaland article from NYBG. White has lost weight and does not look very well. A heart condition prevents an operation for gall stones. Working mainly on his Solomons plants, as routine allows. Bill Francis away on annual leave. Saw Stanley Blake and Lindsay Smith. Blake has made good recovery from attack of in- fantile paralysis several years ago. Several young men and women in herbarium - some probably students from University? Herbarium in bad shape. Piles of specimens in news- paper folders piled high everywhere. Much deterioration through insect attack. Specimens not poisoned, through shortage of help. Much material coming into the herbarium. Great shame that better care can not begiven such valuable specimens. Met Mary Strong Clemens at the Herbarium. She was sorting and arranging a collection of plants brought back recently from a trip to Eungella Range, in the north. Working in a back shed. A strange little woman, with a far-away, religious gleam in her eye. Now 75 years of age. Decidedly eccentric if not a bit queer. Has been here since she was eva- cuated from New Guinea ahead of Japanese invasion in the war. Her plants now go to George University of Michigan and other U.S. institutions. Went out to the Queensland Museum after lunch. George Tate there, busy packing for a trip west. He starts by train tomorrow morning. Plans to stay about five days with N. Geary, of Offham, between Charleville and Cunnamulla. Geary a keen amateur naturalist, and a station owner. George looks better than I have seen him for years. Very pleased with reception he has had in Brisbane. Everyone very helpful; no red tape, but he is still waiting for his collecting permit from the Dept. of Agriculture. Has bought a rail- way ticket which allows unlimited travel on all lines, with 300 lbs. baggage for 2 months., for thirty odd pounds. Very favorable impression of George Mack, new director of the Museum. A Glasgow Scot, a graduate of Melbourne University, and formerly on the staff of Melbourne Museum. Has