64 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Art. V. — The Neivly-opened Cave near Sumner. 



By John Meesox, B.A. 



[^Ecacl before the Philosophical Institute of Cantcrhiiry, -ird October, 1889.'] 



Plates I. and II. 



In accordance with a suggestion thrown out at our last meet- 

 ing that some authentic particulars should be gathered re- 

 specting the cave recently discovered on the road to Sumner, 

 Mr. H. O. Forbes, as representing the Museum authorities, 

 and myself, as representing this society, made a preliminary 

 visit of inspection on the 10th September last. My coadjutor 

 is at present very fully occupied with official work and altera- 

 tions at the Museum, so it has been agreed between us that I 

 am to write a general description of the cave and its contents, 

 giving some account of its whereabouts, geology, and dis- 

 covery, while he will supplement my remarks with notes on 

 the bones found, some of which seem to be probably of a new 

 species of Natatores. 



I must mention that Mr. Monck, the proprietor of the 

 ground on which the cave stands, when we introduced our- 

 selves to him and stated our object, showed us great civility, 

 and assisted us as far as he could iu the work of investigation. 



He exhibited to us everything that he had obtained from 

 the spot in the way of bones, implements, and other remains, 

 and very liberally handed over to us for further examination 

 and future deposit in the Museum such of these as we found 

 to be the most interesting. He also gave us an account of all 

 that he had done or knew about the discovery of the cave, and 

 offered to facilitate its more complete exploration if funds- 

 were provided for such a work and it should be thought 

 desirable. 



It is perhaps to be regretted that action was not taken in 

 the matter, either by our society or the Museum authorities, 

 a little earher, because there are some questions — in connection 

 with the date at which the moa became extinct, the people 

 who were in the habit of hunting it, the customs, food, and 

 utensils of the native tribes who successively used the cave as 

 one of their dwelling-places, and the flora and fauna existing 

 here at the period when it was known and frequented — that a 

 careful examination of the different layers of deposit, under 

 the direction of a scientific mind, might have materially helped 

 to solve. It is not by any means too late yet to do something 

 in the matter ; and I am glad to say that a small sum has 

 been already placed at the disposal of Mr. Forbes for the 

 purpose of systematic digging and search. 



