70 Transact ions. — Miscellaneous. 



being or other animal daily or hourly passing to and fro and 

 rubbing against the sides. It is more than likely that this 

 was for centuries, perhaps, the abode of sea-lions, the seclusion 

 of such a retreat being just what those animals would seek, 

 and we know that they were plentiful enough about here when 

 the Maoris inhabited the cave, because of the number of frag- 

 ments of sea-lion fur found in the debris. At present the outer 

 chamber promises most reward for digging and clearing away. 

 The second chamber is less inviting to the explorer, but may 

 prove more productive of bones and other relics than is now 

 thought. 



Appended is a plan of the cave (PI. I.) and sketches (PI. II.) 

 of the principal Maori implements and other articles therein 

 found. 



DESCEIPTION OF PLATES I. AND II. 

 Plate I. — Monck's Cave neak Sumner, Ground Plan. 



Plate II. — Articles found in the Cave. 

 Fig. 1. Wooden model of dog (?), A. 

 Fig. 2. Carved head of stick or paddle, ^. 

 Fig. 3. Paddle or steer-oar, ^r*. 

 Fig. 4. Comb, J. 

 Fig. 5. Bailer, |. 

 Fig. 6. Fish-hook, ^-. 

 Fig. 7. Fire-lighter, ^. 



Fig. 8. Hook (perhaps for suspending an ornament), ^. 

 Fig. 9. Fern-root pounder, ^. 

 Fig. 10. Greenstone pendant, ^. 

 Fig. 11. Needle (bone), ?,. 

 Fig. 12. Adzes, i. 

 Fig. 13. Fish-spears, ^. 



Art. VI. — Oil the Disappearance of the Moo.. 



By Major ^Y. G. Mair. 



[Read before the Auckland Institute, 11th November, 1889.] 



So much has been said and written about the question of 

 whether the Maori people were familiar with the moa, or 

 whether the great bird was practically extinct when the Maoris 

 reached the shores of New Zealand from Hawaiki, about 

 twenty generations ago, that it may be thought that there 

 is nothing left unsaid about it ; but I do not think that the 

 matter has been set finalh" to rest, and perhaps it never will 

 be. Still, every possible scrap of information bearing upon 

 such an interesting point should be placed upon record before 

 the time comes when we cannot possibly collect anything 

 move. For this reason I contribute what little information I 



