My first week in New Zealand is finished. So far, I've seen downtown Auckland, the interior of the ecology laboratory, the new outdoor necropsy facilities at the university, a bit of the town, and Dr King's home and gardens. Not much actually of New Zealand itself. Since there is not much I can do this weekend (being it is the holiday and all), I will wisely use the time to stalk feral ferrets! Well, after I first visit some local ferret people and meet their pets. I still have a huge backlog of materials to measure, but things are gradually catching up. I have a day, maybe two, for lab work and then I am off to Taupo for some time in the necropsy theatre. I am extremely happy and grateful to announce that this research has been recently supported by the KC Ferret Hotline and Shelter, whose ferrets has made a generous and much appreciated donation to help insure that I can continue work for as long as possible. Since I wrote the above paragraph (I am forced to write as much as I can, when I can, and save the progress), the American Ferret Association (the AFA) has also provided an extremely generous and much appreciated donation that will go a long way to insure the work will continue as long as possible. I am extremely grateful and equally appreciative of both donations. Both will be placed on the permanent acknowledgment list that will accompany all publications that rise from this research. For those that are not acquainted with scientific publications, it is not only customary, but in some instances required to disclose funding and support. At the end of the articles that arise from this research, I will name those who have contributed directly to the cause, and their names will become a permanent part of the record for all to see in perpetuity. Both donations could not have been more timely or important. In my journey to Hamilton, I dropped the case that contained a machine I use to seal samples, breaking it. I was forced to ship the broken one back to the USA and have a new one shipped here. I will also be able to replace an external USB hard drive that "wandered" off while I was in a library (thank heavens I cable-locked the computer, or it could have "gone on holiday" as well!). Thank you both so very much! You have pulled my budget out of the fire! Bob C [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML 5920]