Hamilton. — On Avian Beviains in Southland. 1^1 



of the cluck and kiwi. At the very lowest depth reached 

 there were still a few of these to be obtained, but there 

 seemed no chance of reaching the actual bottom, so we ceased 

 descending, and went into the small cave through the narrow 

 passage. The floor of this was dug over again, and a number 

 of kiwi-, duck-, and kakapo-bones obtained. 



At p. 90 (Joe. cit.) of the Transactions I mentioned that 

 the lateral arm of the cave (which should have been marked 

 F on the plan) contained a quantity of a w^et, soapy deposit 

 consisting of nearly pure carbonate of lime. This was 

 examined to a much greater depth than on the previous occa- 

 sion, and at least 2ft. of the deposit of carbonate of lime 

 removed from the surface, which did not contain a bone. Be- 

 neath this we came on a layer of clay and lime containing 

 bones, and this led us to examine it very carefully, as one of 

 the first bones of any consequence proved to be of Harpagornis. 



I had the whole of the lime removed first, and then care- 

 fully worked out the original floor. The lime was in some 

 places quite hard, like well-set plaster of Paris — in other places 

 quite sodden and soapy. Starting from the corner of the 

 main fissure, bones were found to occur plentifully, and to 

 extend downwards for about 2ft., or about 5ft. below the 

 original surface. The first find of importance was a capital 

 skeleton of an individual moa — a young individual — with 

 skull, pelvis, legs, &c., close together. 



Whilst I was numbering and marking these in the light 

 word was passed out from the workers that eagle-bones were 

 being found. Extra candles were lighted, as this arm of the 

 cave was quite dark. I soon found that several important 

 bones were exposed, their smooth yellow surface contrasting 

 with the pure white of the lime, which at this place formed a 

 small " pocket " in the clay floor close to the rock. With a 

 pocket-knife I removed the dirt, and had the pleasure of finding 

 the greater part of the skeleton of the smaller of the two eagles 

 usually known as H. assimilis. The skull (PI. XXIII. , fig. 1) 

 was remarkably perfect, lying on its vertex, with the lower 

 mandible in position, and one quadrate. Across it lay a hume- ■ 

 rus, which had protected the delicate bones of the skull from 

 injury. The legs and both wings were found here. A little 

 further on the sternum was found quite perfect, but slightly 

 cracked (PI. XXIII. , figs. 2 and 3). It was curious to note 

 that in the cranium of the skull there still remained several 

 of the chitinous pupa-cases of the flesh-flies that consumed 

 the fleshy remains of the lordly eagle. A few separated 

 bones of the larger bird (H. moorei) weve then found ; and 

 just as the work of cutting into the hard deposit was being 

 abandoned the workers found a small hole just large enough 

 to admit a hand. This led into a small extension of the 



