THE ZooLocist—Aucust, 1875, 4565 
weka, and if we would examine newer refuse heaps of the natives, 
either on the coast or inland, I am sure that we could obtain 
ample evidence, from the presence of the remains of this bird, that 
it constituted one of their favourite meals. 
I have before observed that the line of demarcation between the 
surface of the dirt bed and the overlying shell beds, in which no 
moa bones were found, is constant and very distinct, and goes far 
to prove that during a very considerable lapse of time no human 
occupation of the cave took place. This proposition gains in 
strength by the existence of a bed of drift sand, deposited between 
these two beds, forming a layer of a thickness of about twelve inches 
at the entrance of the cave and gradually thinning towards the 
interior. As the cave was amply protected, not only by its position 
as well as by the huge rock in front, but, without doubt, also by 
dense vegetation, sprung up when it was left undisturbed after the 
moa-hunters ceased to frequent it, the discovery of this bed of drift 
sand between the two formations has important bearings. 
(To be continued). 
Notes on Birdsnesting in Kent. 
By ArtHur G. Butter, Esq., F.LS. 
WHILST collecting eggs this year I have been somewhat sur- 
prised at the rarity and even absence of some of the commoner 
species. The non-existence of the eggs of starlings, wrens, tits, 
wagtails, and a few others, is accounted for by the presence of their 
deserted nests—they have evidently been early at work; but the 
rarity of such eggs as those of the whitethroat, greenfinch and 
linnet, and the absence of the bullfinch, must, 1 think, be attributed 
to the reverse condition of things. The greenfinch has certainly 
been unusually lazy, for when I returned to town some of her nests 
were still unfinished, whilst others contained only two or three 
newly-laid eggs. So far as my experience has gone, the eggs of 
several of the commoner birds have shown an unusual tendency to 
vary; but this will be best seen in the subjoined list of the few 
species which have this year fallen to my lot. 
Redbacked Shrike-—Barming, near Maidstone, 2nd and 7th of 
June, two nests, built in bushes; vaz.? resembling the eggs of the 
SECOND SERIES—VOL. X. 2a 
