BIRDS - NEW CALEDONIA L. Macmillan Page 67 Wailu Area: River valley, heathlands, coffee cultivation, Nouli scrub. 0-100'. Monday, 22nd, May, 1939. Weather: Dull cloudy showery, strong east wind, gale force in open, strong in all but very sheltered valleys, gusty. Clouds 100%. Miserable weather. Habitat: All types except tall forest. Birds: The birds today were very still and inactive, in this observers oponion because they have had a bad and tiring night clinging to swaying limbs. It is worth noting that species one would expect to perch on large limbs close to the trunk of a tree such as Corvus are more active than the smaller birds. The birds during the past week have had a very miserable time with the weather as it has been raining and blowing at almost gale force from the east. Floods, wet vegetation and the country like a bog have[illegible]very unpleasant for the birds. This morning it was noticeable that even very common and hardy species like Artamus were rare and seemed to have given the weather best and retired elsewhere. Circus: 2 were seen both flying very close to the ground at some distance from the observer. Hypotaenidia: Several were heard and one seen, the first actually seen in this area. Corvus: In spite of its objectionable habits and bird killing this species must do a lot of good in coffee cultivation. Unidentified bird was very fleetingly glimpsed but the sight was so brief little can be said about the bird. It passed on the wing about 8 Ft. from observer, seemed to be flying rather clumsily, but that may have been from fright on seeing observer so close. The bird gave the following impression but it was very uncertain.