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During October and November of 1961, the Marine Physical Laboratory of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in cooperation with the British Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, sponsored a series of geophysical measurements on Christmas Island. Continuous recordings of the earth's magnetic field were made simultaneously at various points on the island under the direction of Ronald G. Mason and John Northrop of the Marine Physical Laboratory of the University of California, San Diego. In addition to these recordings, daily trips by land rover and small boat to various points on the island and in the lagoon were made for the purpose of completing gravity and magnetic measurements with portable equipment. These measurements show a sharp positive gravity anomaly near Motu Tabu, towards the north end of the island, indicating a shallow depth to basement in that area

During the period of April 11-14, 1962, the second author conducted an entomological survey of Christmas Island under the auspices of the Plant Quarantine Division, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to the insect collections, 18 species of vascular plants were collected, and six additional cultivated ones were observed

Savai'i and Upolu islands are moderately well roaded, the former with di sco ntinuous coast roads, the latter with coastal and two cross-island roads. All islands are covered with moderately den se tropical forest, which, however, does not render progress as difficult as in many types of New Zealand forest. Upolu Island is narrowly elliptical in outline, roughly 47 miles by 16 miles; a rugged chain of volcanic cones forms the crestal ridge rising to 3,600 ft. Savai'i Island, 47 miles by 27 miles, consists of broad coalescing domes topped by numerous cones, of which the highest rise to over 6,000 ft.