BIRDS - NEW CALEDONIA L. Macmillan Page 95 TAO AREA. MOUNTAIN AREA OF THE NW END OF MAINLAND. Thursday, 20th July, 1939. Weather: Clear and fine, west wind, clouds from 10 to 60%. Habitat: Very narrow coastal strip at foot of mountains rising shear almost, in ridge to the main massif of Mount Panie, 5400 ft. A.S.L., the highest peak on the island. The centre of the peak is only 3 1/2 miles from high tide mark approx. The coastal ledge is nowhere more than a matter of some 200 yds. in width and is mostly only 30 to 40 yds wide. It has coconuts and an open scattered coastal scrub of bastard cotton, rose-wood, Barringtonia ect. Then rises steeply and these slopes are covered with open Noulie forest to an average hight of some 6 to 8 hundred feet a.s.l. with here and there in valleys thick forest comming in tongues much lower. almost to sea level in places. Above that height the hills seem to be covered with a dense tropical forest with a slight thinning out towards the top of the mountain. The density and composition of these forests are as yet unknown. BIRDS: The area seems to be very good for birds and generally speaking the birds seem to run to a much larger size than elsewhere in New Cal. The following were seen, or are reported present, Notophoyx: said to be present. Butorides: Said to be present but not common. Generally about mangroves and for short distances up the small steep rivers of this area. Demiqretta: Five blues seen on previous days since arrival and three seen today. Presumably ad. chasing young away were seen today,