and turns sideways to see properly. Drives all over the road. He does know his herbarium. Seems familiar with every sheet. Thursday Jan. 29: A good part of the morning spent at B.P.'s. Cutmore of the merchandising department took me through the stores and warehouses to see stock and check on requirements. Goods of most lines are in fair to good supply. We are getting special consideration and need anticipate no trouble in getting everything except ight rice. We could get rice on special permit, no doubt, but feel we ought not to ask for privileges of that kind. The people have had no rice for years. Have asked B.P. to try to book us return passages on a ship leaving Brisbane or Sydney for New York about the middle to the end of October. Also arranged for train reservations for Van and Geoff from Brisbane to Cairns. Sleeper bookings have to be made 2 weeks in advance. B.P.'s have offered us a corner in a building which will be just right for storage and work space. A new building of galvanized iron, with high con- crete floor and excellent lighting, recently bought from the RAAF. It will be a dry safe place to store collections as we send them down from the Penin- sule. Have a seat on a special plane leaving for Thursday Island on the morning of Feb. 2nd. The special is being put on to carry freight and will take only two passengers, myself and a Torres Strait pilot. The regular weekly plane leaves here Thursdays, but traffic is heavy and specials are flown every week. The ANA people out to be helpful (Smythe, local manager, Wright, traffic men- ager), Wright was stationed on the Peninsula with the RAAF during the war and knows conditions there. Have letters of introduction to all ANA agents on the Peninsula, instructing them to book me anywhere I want to go and charge to Burns Philp. Flecker wants to interest us in a check list of North Queensland plants which has been prepared by himself and others of the Naturalists Club. A com- pilation from the literature and from data in the Club herbarium. Localities, and collectors, and flowering dates given. The thing would have value, but is based on very limited sources of information. In manuscript, and could be donated (typed) for perhaps LLO. Am afraid Flecker is going to live up to his reputation of being a nuisance. Dupain took me to the Rotary Club dinner in the evening, where Stephens wrote a lecture on growth promoting substances (hormones). I have been asked eedle to give a talk at a later date. Gilbert Bates, Senior Adviser, Sugar Experimental Stations, called in the evening and we talked North Queensland and pored over maps to a late hour. Bates a stocky little chap of tremendous energy. Was born in Cairns 50 years ago and has been stationed here 25 years. Travels all over the country south of Cooktown, is a keen observer and naturalist (especially interested in orchids). Much interested in establishing sugar culture on the alluvial lands which are extensively developed on the rivers of Princess Charlotte Bay. Only a few cattle on this country now. (ago to page 36 - p. 85 - look out in copying because two pages of original were not transcribed.)