68 Transactions. — Miscellaneo us . 



promised to follow me with a particular descriptiou. Merely 

 remarking, therefore, that the quantity of fragmentary bones of 

 fishes and of the moa shows that these were the animals 

 principally eaten by the natives inhabiting the cave, I pro- 

 ceed at once to specify what things other than bones have 

 already been brought to light. Enough have been found to 

 make the nucleus of a small museum. Such articles as a 

 fisherman needs for the pursuit of his craft are the most 

 common. Two objects first attract attention, because of 

 their size and more finished workmanship. These are a well- 

 made paddle or steer-oar of kauri (?), 7^ft. long and 6fin. 

 across the blade, and a nicely-carved unique-handled scoop of 

 totara (?), 15in. by 8in., for baling the water out of a canoe. 

 These are the articles referred to above as having been found 

 immediately when the cave was opened, in a sort of natural 

 cupboard or cleft in the rocky side of the outer chamber. Then 

 there is a large piece of wood, that may have been part of a 

 canoe or perhaps a sort of frame or pole for supporting a fish- 

 ing-net. It is 6ft. long and has three groups of holes in it, 

 each group containing four holes. There are also over thirty 

 fish-spears of bone, of several sizes, from 5in. to lin. in length, 

 and of different patterns, some notched on both sides, some 

 onlv on one ; a number of stone sinkers up to Si^in. in diameter, 

 and" generally of sandstone ; floats of pumice-stone ; fish-lines 

 of plaited flax ; and pieces of net. A large number of stone 

 implements have been found — over a dozen adzes, some highly 

 finished, some very rude, one (a fragment) so broad and 

 massive in the polished portion as to remind one of the 

 domestic flat-iron, and to suggest the probability that it was 

 used for smoothing or polishing rough surfaces ; others with 

 ver\- fine sharp points, as though intended to be used as awls 

 for boring holes in wood, bone, or stone. There are, besides, a 

 number of greenstone chisels, one gouge-shaped ; and the large 

 quantitv of pieces of obsidian, fragments of basalt, and flakes 

 and blocks of chert or flint shows that such rude stone tools as 

 the denizens of the cave required they were in the habit of 

 fashioning on the spot. We found also a fern-root pounder of 

 wood, 14in. long; a beautifully delicate needle of ordinary size, 

 l^in. long, of bone, with the eye perfect ; fire-lighters 9in. long; 

 and a comb Sin. long, 2^in. across. The latter article is at the 

 present time very brittle and somewhat decayed, like the other 

 wooden implements in the cave. It w^as found in fragments, 

 but must at one time have been of considerable strength, or 

 it certainly would not have been serviceable for the purposes 

 for which it was intended. Great handfuls of human hair 

 were also found, one coil plaited, two or three wrapped in flax, 

 inostly very dark in colour, but some light as the aubiirn hair 

 of Europeans and carefully tied ; and feathers of various birds, 



